


Safe and Sound

by Musicalgirl2010



Series: Phoenix [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Big brother Peeta, Book/Movie 1: The Hunger Games, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Child Abuse, F/M, Family, Gen, Peeta's Sister
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-04-02 09:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 25,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4055032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musicalgirl2010/pseuds/Musicalgirl2010
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>13 year old Challah Mellark loved her big brother Peeta. He was always there for her. When Peeta is selected for the 74th Hunger Games, Challah's world is changed forever.</p><p>This is a cannon-divergence fic. Mostly following a combination of the first Hunger Games book and movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

“Challah, Wake Up,” It was the sound of the voice that pulled me out of my nightmare.

“You’re ok,” I heard as I felt the big arms wrap around me.

“Peeta…” I said as I felt the tears starting to fall.

“Shhh. You’re OK Challah just be quiet,” I buried my head in his chest. He had woken me up before my nightmare had gotten too bad most likely saving me from a pretty bad run in with our mother. “Your name’s only in there twice. Mine’s only in there five times and Rye’s only in there seven. For a few kids from District 12 that’s not so bad.” This was one night that nightmares never needed explaining. He did have a point, I heard that Gale Hawthorne’s name was in that bowl forty-two times this year. That’s the most entries I ever remember hearing. I jumped at the sound of my door opening. If my mother caught Peeta in here, I didn’t even want to think of what would happen. “It’s OK,” Peeta said, “It’s just Rye.”

“You should probably head back to our room Peet. Mom will be up soon. You OK Challah?” Rye said quietly from the doorway.

“I’ll be OK” I answered although I couldn’t shake the feeling this would be the last time we would be together.


	2. The Reaping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challah has seen 7 reapings that she can remember. But she's probably seen all 13 that have happened in her lifetime. But this one would change her life.

“Hurry up girl,” my mother called from downstairs. I finished braiding my hair the simple way Prim had taught me before my first reaping last year.

I heard the knock on my door as Peeta walked in. “You look nice,” he said, a smile spreading across his face. While I didn’t really see the point of smiling on reaping day I couldn’t help but to smile back at him. He tilted his head toward my door silently telling me it was time to go. The two of us headed downstairs. Where we were greeted by the usual shouting from our mother.

I don’t know how he did it but our father always seemed to make sure there was enough distance between our mother and us that we could have some sibling time as we headed toward the check in. Once he was sure we were far enough from our parents I felt Peeta grab my hand and give it a squeeze. Rye gently patted me on the back before heading over to the area where the oldest boys were checking in. Peeta knelt down in front of me just off to the side of where the 15 and 16 year olds were checking in. “You remember what happens now right?” He asked me. I nodded. “Come find me and Rye right after. If anything happens and you can’t find us, stay with Alyssa.” I nodded again. Peeta stood up and pulled me into a tight hug before joining the line of 16 year olds. I made my way to where the 13 year olds were and checked in. As I followed the flow of kids to where they had the 13 year old girls I tried to find anyone I knew. I glanced back to where the oldest boys were. I quickly found Rye in the crowd of older boys, I also managed to spot Gale Hawthorne ,a boy from the Seam, if he was here that meant Prim and her sister Katniss were to. Prim and I had met at school one day when I was 6 and she was 5. 1st graders and Kindergarteners had lunch and recess at the same time. I had noticed one day that she didn’t have much to eat so I gave her some of my lunch. I didn’t understand the idea of Seam kids or Merchant kids at the time. We started hanging out pretty often after that. Then it got back to mother that I was hanging out with a girl from the Seam. That didn’t end well for me, but, Prim and I stayed somewhat friends we were just a little more careful after that.   I turned around to look towards where the 16 year old girls were sectioned off, I found Katniss, she was searching the groups of us younger girls I figured looking for Prim. I turned to the group in front of me to find Prim among the group of 12 year olds. I knew from experience that nothing was scarier than your first reaping, although your second didn’t feel a whole lot better. I wonder if It ever got easier. I found Prim, her blonde hair in two braids. If you asked someone from outside the District, they would have guessed Prim and I to be sisters long before pairing up her and Katniss. Prim was holding the hands of some of her friends. Getting through a reaping was always easier with friends. I was just scanning the group of 16 year old boys looking for Peeta when my best friend Alyssa came up. She was 13 too. Another merchant girl her family owned the sweet shop just up the street from our bakery across from the Cartwright’s shoe store.

“Hey” Alyssa said. I managed to find Peeta in the group of boys, he gave me a small smile I turned back to Alyssa.

“Hi” I said back to her. Alyssa grabbed for my hand. There wasn’t more to do or say on reaping day. Alyssa was an only child. She’d never have to experience worrying about anyone else at the reaping and I found myself glad for that. It may have made last year worse, being by herself,but at least she could relax once her name hadn’t been called. The last few kids filled in with their respective groups.

I turned my attention towards the stage where I watched The Mayor, Effie Trinket and what looked like a very drunk Haymitch Abernathy walk out of the Justice Building. We listened to the usual speech from the mayor giving us the history of Panem and introducing District 12’s only living victor Haymitch Abernathy , before giving the stage and microphone to Effie.

“Happy Hunger Games!” she called into the microphone before cueing the video they made us watch every year reminding us of why the Hunger Games existed. For most of us this point is just going through the motions. But we’re all dreading the moment that video stops. “Ladies, first” Effie’s voice calls out just like it has since I remember coming for all three of my brother’s reapings. “Primrose Everdeen” I let out the breath, when It wasn’t my name she had called. Suddenly it hit me though, whose name she had called. Prim… I looked to where I had seen her in the group of 12 year olds in front of me. Her friends had let go of her hands and the girls made a path for her. I turned back to the 16 year old girls to find Katniss.

“Prim! Prim!” I heard her yell as she moved into the open middle that separated the boys and girls. I ventured a look towards Peeta. His eyes never left her as a couple of peacekeepers came to stop her. “I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!” She shouted. I heard some conversation coming from the direction of the stage but I was completely focused on Prim and Katniss. Prim was begging Katniss not to go. Gale walked over picked Prim up and took her to her mom in the crowd of parents and other members of District 12 before rejoining the group of boys. I looked back at Peeta his eyes still trained on Katniss as she stood on the stage. Effie asked for applause for Katniss. District 12’s first volunteer. Everyone was quiet as we took three fingers and pressed them to our lips before saluting her. There wasn’t any other way to respond to what she did. Katniss never saw it but everyone looked up to her, admired her for what she had done.

I didn’t hear Effie announce she was going to pick the boy tribute but watched as she walked over to the bowl on the other side of the stage. Alyssa squeezed my hand and tried to give me a reassuring smile. “Peeta Mellark” Effie’s voice chirped. I froze. This couldn’t be happening. I looked back to where Peeta was. He started toward the stage. I found Rye among the oldest boys looking for some kind of clue as to what I was supposed to do.

“Challah” I heard Alyssa call to me as I slipped out of her grasp and went towards the outside of the group of 13 year olds. I watched as Peeta walked past us on to the stage. He didn’t even look over. I wanted to yell but I found I didn’t have the words. I looked back towards Rye who was now also on the outside of his group. But his eyes were focused on me. When he saw me look at him he was shaking his head. Begging me not to try anything. Peeta walked onto the stage Effie told Katniss and Peeta to shake hands and introduced the District 12 tributes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Chapter just to get this going. I might still post one more chapter today. Just to get the story a little established.


	3. Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you say when your brother is being sent to his death?

As soon as Effie was taking Peeta and Katniss into the justice building I slipped under the rope that sectioned of my group and started running for the building. I didn’t get very far before Rye caught me. “We’ll get to see him in a minute.” Rye told me. I didn’t want to wait I wanted to see him now. But eventually I ran out of fight. Almost everyone had been reunited with their families. Our Mother and Father had managed to find us up close to the Justice building. Our oldest brother Graham had also joined us, he was 20 and he was mom’s favorite. I don’t think I’d ever seen her hit him once. I thought that once he left the bakery to help his wife run the bookstore in town things would change between them but they didn’t. The Everdeen’s were soon next to us with Gale not far behind them. Prim was in her mother’s arms crying. It was the closest I had seen them since Katniss' father died five years earlier. She looked over at me and I tried to give her the most reassuring smile I could find although I was fighting off my own tears. I felt my mother’s glare even without seeing it. She would get me for even that little smile later, but right now I didn’t care. Rye and my dad kept a hand on my shoulder to keep me from running off.  
A few Peacekeepers came out of the Justice Building to take us in to see the new tributes. I had never been inside the Justice Building before. It was big, there were a lot of doors and hallways. I couldn’t imagine trying to work there and remember where all those doors and hallways went to. We were all taken into a room. Some Peacekeepers were waiting for us.  
“You can go into see the tributes in any combination you want. The tributes have an hour before they must leave for the capital. Each group will be given three minutes with their tribute.”  
I turned around to my dad. “I want to go alone and I want to go last.” I said I don't know when I decided I wanted that but I guess at some point I did.. My mother was ready to speak but my dad was already guiding me away from her.  
“Are you sure?” He asked me, concern obviously etched in his face.  
“Yes,” I said. If I was only going to get three more minutes with my brother, then I didn’t want to share them with anyone. Especially not my mother.  
“Do you want to see Katniss?” he asks me, “I’m going to,” he added, sensing my confusion. I looked over toward where Prim and her mother and even Gale were waiting to see Katniss.  
“With you” I said.  
“Flan, where going in,” My mother called her voice was as cold and serious as ever. My dad placed his hand on my shoulder. As he walked over to join my family. My mother looked at me as I stood in that room. My dad told her I was going in alone. I knew the look she shot me over my dad’s shoulder all too well. He carefully made sure he was positioned in such a way that she’d have to get around him to get to me. She gave me one last glance before heading through the door that Peeta was behind.  
Prim and Mrs. Everdeen had gone into see Katniss. It was me, Gale and Madge, the mayor's daughter, alone in the big room now. I managed to catch Gale’s eye for just a second. The fire in his eyes was undeniable. It wasn't a secret that Gale hated the Capital, and sending his best friend into the arena wasn't going to make it any better. The thing no one would understand was that I was stuck. Prim was a really good friend of mine. Katniss was her sister. While Katniss and I may have not been friends exactly we still spent a lot of time together. This one time I went to play with Prim but Prim was sick and couldn't play. My mother hates people from the Seam. I'm not sure why but she does so our play dates always had to be secret. That day Mr. Everdeen decided to take me into the woods with him and Katniss instead of sending me home. Katniss was not happy at first but then her dad talked to her and she seemed OK with it. After that when Prim was sick or couldn't play, when I could get to the Seam Katniss her dad and me would go to woods. When he died I stayed away for awhile because I didn't know what to do. I was only 8. But about a year ago after a bad run in with my mother I ran away to the woods, slipping under the fence the way Katniss and Mr.Everdeen had showed me all those years ago. When I accidentally ran into her and her new hunting partner Gale. I thought she would be mad at me but she wasn't and I spent a few hours out there with them. Now I would go with them whenever I could get away without being noticed. Although Gale was never to happy to have me around He hated Merchant kids almost as much as my mother hated Seam kids, but he tolerated me . Then there's my brother’s crush on Katniss. He’s been in love with her for as long as I can remember. He’d never even talked to her. She didn’t know how he felt. And now he had to kill her.  
I heard Prim’s voice from the other side of one of doors as I watched my family walk out of the room that held Peeta. Rye looked madder than I had ever seen him. I took a deep breath before heading into the room where my brother was. As I walked through the door Peeta was sitting on the soft red couch in the room head in his hands.  
“Peeta” I whispered. He looked up and was off the couch in a second his arms wrapped around me.  
“Challah…” He started.  
“shhh.” I told him content to just hold him for awhile.  
After a moment I push against his chest so I can look in his eyes.  
“Don’t just give up because she’s in there with you. Try to win, please. Please don’t just give up.” I said feeling the tears I had been fighting starting to well in my eyes.  
"I won't. I love you,” he said as he pulled me back into his arms.  
“I love you too,” I said.  
I love you wasn’t a common phrase heard around the Mellark household. I’m almost positive Peeta and I may have been the only two to ever say it to each other. I know I had never heard it from anyone else.  
He knelt down in front of me just like he had outside. “Be careful. Don’t do anything stupid that’s gonna get you in trouble with mother. Watch out for the Everdeens make sure she has something to come home to.”  
“Peeta...” I start.  
“I meant what I said. I won’t just give up.” he added quickly. He was lying I could tell. For just a split second he looked off the side and his eyes just didn't look right. But no sense in wasting time arguing.  
“You could come home, you could” I said. I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince anymore, him or me. I heard the door open with the Peacekeeper telling me my time was up.  
“I love you Challah, It will be OK" he said as the Peacekeeper pulled me from the room. As I watched the man close the door I knew it was a lie.  
I jumped when I felt a hand land on my shoulder. “You OK?” It was my dad. I nodded. “Gale’s time with Katniss is almost up we’ll head in next. “ I found my mother sitting on one of the benches in the room. The fire in her eyes behind the tears as Graham tried to comfort her told me everything I needed to know from her.  
The door to Katniss’ room opened and Gale walked out. My dad guided me toward the door and we walked in. I hadn’t noticed the small bag in my dad’s hand until he handed it to Katniss. They were the cookies he made the Tributes every year. “Thank You” Katniss said to him. My dad went to sit on the couch in the room. Katniss’ room looked exactly the same as Peeta's. I stood in my place by the door, Katniss and I were just looking at each other. We weren’t the type to sugar coat things for each other. We both knew what they were going to be forced to do, both of us trying to figure out what to say.  
Finally I made the first move and wrapped my arms around her waist. “Thank you” I said into her chest “for everything, I’ll take care of them the best that I can.” I didn’t need to explain myself.  
“Thank You” She said, she leaned closer to me so my dad couldn’t hear what she had to say. “Gale will help too. . . and I’ll try to make sure it’s not me.” I looked up at her and nodded. It was as close to a promise to protect Peeta as she was going to give me. She was promising not to be the one who takes Peeta away from me.  
I let go of her and turned back toward my dad. “We’ll make sure they stay fed” He said adding to what I already told Katniss. I could hear the movement on the other side of the door telling me our time was almost up. “You’re a brave girl. Katniss,” he added as the door opened.  
“Times up,” the voice called. I took one more look at Katniss before my dad and I walked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in an attempt to be honest. This first part of Challah's story is already completely written. However I don't have an official Beta for this story. Just a few friends who have looked through it. If anyone thinks they might be interested let me know.


	4. Cookies and Tribute Parades

By the time we got home it was taking everything I had to keep myself together, but the last thing I needed was to do something to set my mother off. It was about four when we walked back in through the back door of the bakery. The shop was still open for another three hours. No one would have minded if we didn’t re-open for the day but my mother would have never heard of it. I was still “too young” to be working in the bakery, my mother had said we needed to be 14 before she would let us work, but I knew she would be expecting Rye to finish working his shift.   
“Go upstairs you two,” My dad said, looking awful himself.   
“No!” my mother shouted. “The bakery is still open for another three hours. You still have work to do.” she said pointing at Rye. “I expect you to start picking up the slack Peeta won’t be doing not that the boy was much use anyway.” She said, pointing her finger right at me.  
“Enough!” my father shouted. I jumped at the sound, my dad was usually a quiet man. “Take her upstairs Rye,” he instructed. As Rye closed the door separating our house from the bakery we could still hear them shouting. I followed Rye to his room. The one that he used to share with Peeta.   
“You could have stopped him…” I said turning from where I had been staring at Peeta’s old bed to where Rye was standing on the other side of the room. “You didn’t have to let him go!” I started yelling at him. “You could have stopped him. Volunteered for him! Katniss did for Prim!” I don’t remember crossing the room to him, but I must have because I started pounding on his chest while he just stood there. He was much stronger, he could have pushed me away easily but he didn’t. Finally I just collapsed into his chest, the tears I had been fighting all day finally coming free.   
I don’t know how long we just stood there before he finally said something. “Do you want to stay here tonight?” he asked me. I don’t remember ever seeing Rye cry. Not even when mother gave him her worst. But I could hear it in his voice now.   
“But mother…” I started to say.  
“I don’t care about what she has to say,” he said cutting me off, “If you want to stay in here with me tonight you can” I nodded my head and Rye sent me off to my room to get ready for bed. Rye was lying in his bed when I came back to his room. I crawled in next to him. He wrapped his arms around me. This was unusual. Rye was never the cuddly one, that was always Peeta’s thing. But right now I needed it and I didn’t care who it came from. “Try and get some sleep.” he told me. I closed my eyes and cuddled closer to him, not sure I would actually fall asleep. I heard his voice start to sing.   
Just close your eyes  
the sun is going down   
you’ll be alright   
no one can hurt you now  
coming morning light  
you and I’ll be safe and sound   
I opened my eyes and looked up at him. “Sorry, too much?” he asked. It was the lullaby Peeta used to sing to me all the time. Well part of it. Rye was purposefully skipping some verses of it tonight. I don't know where Peeta had learned it from but it had always been a favorite of mine. I shook my head. It wasn’t Peeta singing but it felt normal. He used to sing that to me the night of the reaping every year. It seemed like Rye was as good as it was going to get.   
Rye was awake when I woke up the next morning. “Did you sleep at all?” I asked him.   
“A little” he said.   
I could tell from the way his eyes were still puffy that he was up most of the night crying. I gave him a small smile that I hoped looked reassuring. As I started to get out of the bed I stopped as I caught sight of Peeta’s empty one. I jumped as I felt Rye’s hand touch my shoulder. “Sorry” he muttered.   
“He’s probably almost to the Capitol now” I mentioned.   
“Probably” he added. I got up off the bed and started heading towards my room. “Challah” Rye called after me. I turned around to look at him. “You’re not mad at me are you? For not volunteering for him” I could see the tears in his eyes again.   
“No! I’d be just as upset if it were you going into the arena,” I said and I walked out of his room.  
After I finished getting ready I headed down to the bakery. “Ready for your first day?” my dad said trying to find a smile .   
“I guess, I just wish it was for different reasons,” I said.  
“Me too” He placed a fresh pastry in front of where I sat at the work table in the middle of the bakery kitchen. Rye came down the stairs and got right to work. “Alyssa stopped by last night after we re-opened. She was worried about you. You should try and go see her today.” my dad said as he sat next to me with the book of recipes.   
Most of the rest of the day was spent with my dad in the kitchen while he helped me to learn the different recipes. I jumped every time I heard movement from where my mother was in the front of the store and I tensed every time my dad came over to help me. I had learned from Rye and Peeta that you don’t mess anything up in the bakery when mom was around.   
In the afternoon my dad had to go and make some deliveries. Just before he left he told me to take a break and go see Alyssa. So I took the cookies I had just taken out of the oven, made sure my mom wasn’t watching, packed some up and told Rye I was taking my break as he started to ice the cookies I had left. I was greeted by Alyssa’s mom when I walked into the store.   
“Challah” She said the strained smile I knew would have to get used to seeing etched on her face. “It’s so good to see you,” I tensed as she pulled me into a hug, “I’m so sorry about your brother. He was such a sweet boy.” She was already talking about him like he was dead! Maybe he was. I don’t know.   
“Where’s Alyssa?” I asked.   
“Upstairs in her room.” she responded.   
“Thank you,” I whispered and headed up the stairs to her room. Her door was closed when I walked upstairs I knocked and when she called out I went in.   
“Challah,” She said, I could tell she wanted to rush right up and hug me but as one of the few people who truly knew the situation with my mother she waited.  
“It’s okay,” I told her and then she ran up to me and wrapped her arms around me.   
“I don’t even know what to say,” The truth was I didn’t either. It didn’t feel real yet. The tribute parade was later tonight. I was sure that was going to make it more real than I ever wanted it to be. “Here I bought these for you.” I said handing her the cookies “I made them.”   
“You made them?” she said, “How?”   
“I’m taking over Peeta’s spot at the bakery.”   
“Oh,” she said and put them on the table next to her bed.   
“I’m actually just taking a break right now. I should probably get back,” I said.  
“Yeah ok. If you need anything you know where to find me.” Alyssa said.   
“Thanks,” I said before giving her another hug and heading back towards the bakery. The kitchen was empty when I got back. My mother had closed the door separating the kitchen from the storefront before I hadn’t even realized I was in trouble. She crossed the kitchen to me in what seemed like record time before I felt the familiar sting of her hand across my face.   
“That was for yesterday.” She said to me as she shoved me into the counter “You think it’s ok to make your father yell at me, make your brother miss work, make me take care of everything like you always do even after all I’ve done for you. Gave you a place to live, food to eat, and that’s how you repay me.” her hand met my face again as she pushed me farther up against the counter the edge digging into my lower back. It all hurt but I wasn’t about to let her know she was getting to me. She had just raised her hand again when I heard the bell of the front door opening. Her attention snapped back to the storefront she was clearly considering whether to finish with me or go help whoever had just come in. She glared at me before heading out to help the customer.   
She wasn’t done yet and I knew it. All I could hope for was that Rye or dad would walk through that door and keep her away from me. I tried to get back to work as best I could without anyone supervising me. It wasn’t long before I ran out of things to do but wait for my mother to come back. When I heard the back door open I finally felt like I could take a breath. I was even more relaxed when I saw it was Rye. Dad always got such a sad guilty look on his face when stuff like this happened and I hated it. It had been the result of an argument we had a few years before. My mother had hit me and my dad was trying to make it better but instead I yelled at him about not stopping it from happening. Peeta, being the sweet kid that he is, tried to explain it later. I forgave him eventually, but we still didn't have the best relationship. It just made everything more confusing.   
“Hey,” Rye said as he grabbed his apron back off the hook he had hung it on before he left. “Challah,” he said turning to look at me. I finally looked up. When I meet his eyes I knew the check where my mother had hit me must look as bad as it felt. He rushed around the work table reaching out for me. “What happened!” he asked. I wince when I back up and my back hits the counter where I had been held up against one earlier. I glanced toward the door to the store front. Rye got the message. “I shouldn’t have…” he started but I cut him off.   
“If you had stayed she would have done the same to you,” after that Rye and I worked in silence for the rest of the day while the bakery was open. Dad came back about an hour before we closed and the Tribute parade was scheduled to start. When we had finished cleaning and getting stuff started for the next day, Dad sent me and Rye upstairs. I could tell my dad had figured out what had happened while he was gone that day just by the way he looked at me. He didn’t say anything though and I was glad. Rye and I got the TV ready to watch the tribute parade. I always felt bad for the tributes, sometimes their costumes could be so crazy like when they dress the tributes from District 7 up as trees every year. Rye turned the TV on and the picture of Caesar Flickerman, who would be commentating throughout the games, flashed on the screen. Mother and Dad came upstairs just as the Capitol crowd was roaring up as the District 1 tributes entered the the streets. Caesar was just introducing the District 7 tributes, who were once again dressed like trees, when I caught sight of something in the background.   
“Rye” I whispered I as I scooted to the edge of the couch.   
“What?” He asked. At that exact moment Caesar made a comment that pretty much summed up what I had been thinking.  
“What is that!?” He said in the excited amazed voice he often used. The District 12 chariot entered the stadium and the cheers of the Capitol crowd got even louder. Peeta and Katniss were holding hands in the chariot. But that wasn’t the most exciting thing. There were flames coming off of their backs and the tops of their heads. The crowds got louder, but in the Mellark house, everything was silent. All twelve chariots had stopped in front of the mansion in the city center where President Snow was about to start the speech thanking the tributes. The fire on Katniss and Peeta was still burning as he began his speech. The cameras barely left the view of the District 12 tributes. 12 might have been overlooked before but I was sure everyone was watching them now.


	5. Keeping a Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Challah gets sent on a very special delivery.

We would have off of school for the next few weeks while the Games were happening. This year I was definitely happy for that. It meant less people I had to deal with. I wasn’t normally a person who ran away from social situations, but I knew there was no way I would be able to handle the attention I’d get from having my brother sent to the games. The downside was that it kept me in the bakery with my mother everyday, all day. It would be three days before we’d hear anything about the tributes again. They would spend the next three days training while the Gamemakers were watching. Then the third night they would release the training scores. To the kids in the Games and the people who had kids in the Games they were more like death scores from 1-12. 1 being your not going to live through the bloodbath. 12 being the most likely to get out alive. The Career tributes from Districts 1, 2 and 4 usually score high numbers between 8 and 10. The rest of them are lucky if they get a 6. No one’s gotten higher than a 10 that I can remember.   
My dad and Rye had been really careful about not leaving me alone with my mother after she hit me that day after the reaping. While she would still hit us in front of each other, the damage could be a lot worse when she was alone with us. A thought that made me wonder if Peeta stood a chance in the games. If he could handle what mom threw at him maybe he had a chance to handle what the tributes threw at him too. Two days later the bruise on my cheek was still pretty noticeable although the swelling had gone down quite a bit. My dad had a special mission for me this morning.  
“Challah, I need you to do a delivery for me.” He said “Get your bag and I’ll tell you where it goes.” I finished what I had been working on and headed to the coat room in the back of the bakery. He had two boxes and in his hands as he opened the door and followed me outside. “This is for the Everdeens.” he said putting the boxes in my bag. “This is for you, take some time for yourself today,” he said as he placed the bag over my head and around my shoulder so it sat on my hip. “Be back before the bakery closes.” I nodded and left towards the Seam where the Everdeens lived.   
Most of the miners and their families lived out here and it wasn’t a pretty part of town. My dad was giving me a treat today. I used to sneak out here all the time. But now with working in the bakery my trips out here will become few and far between. My favorite part about going to the Seam was that it was one place I knew my mother would never go. No one out here knew her so there was nothing there to remind me of her. It was why I used to like sneaking out here to see Prim. Out here my mother couldn’t hurt me. She might when I got home but for those few hours I didn’t even have to think about it.   
I walked up to the Everdeen's door and knocked. At first I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had always been welcomed at the Everdeen’s but now that Peeta and Katniss were tributes I was nervous that would change.   
It was a wonderful surprise to see Mrs. Everdeen answer the door. “Come in” she said when she saw me on the other side of the door.   
I walked in the door and handed the box to her. “This is for you” I said.   
“But we didn’t…” she started.  
“I know.” I said a smile creeping up on me it was the first time I had smiled since the reaping. She opened up the box and her eyes lit up at the sight of everything that was in it. I wasn’t sure what was in there but it was a heavy box so I knew there had to be a decent amount of food.   
“Challah” she said looking up at me “I have to give…” she started looking around.   
“No” I said grabbing on to her arm “you don’t need to give me anything.” she still looked unsure but her eyes suddenly changed as I realized my hair had shifted revealing the bruise I had so carefully covered.   
“Your mother” she said to me as she carefully moved her hand to brush the rest of my hair away from the bruise so she could get a better look. I nodded. “I think I have something that might help,” she said.  
“It’s ok really,” I told her as she guided me to the kitchen.   
“Sit,” she told me clearly not taking no for an answer. “You know how this works,” she handed me a leaf from the cabinet full of jars. I chewed on the leaf. It wouldn’t make the bruise go away any faster but it would make it not hurt quite so much. “Here,” she said, handing me a small bag with more leaves in it. I put it in the bag my father had given me earlier as she worked to rearrange my hair so it covered the bruised spot again, “I remember when Prim used to bring you over here all worked up when you’d show up at school with bruises like that.”   
“I do to,” I told her, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, “I’m so sorry,” I told her.   
“No,” she told me, looking me in the eyes, “You didn’t ask for this to happen, you didn’t make this happen. Is that what she told you when she did that?” she said, pointing at my cheek.  
I shook my head no. “That was for making my dad yell at her, and for making Rye miss work, and I’m sure there was more she didn’t tell me. She doesn't care about Peeta being in the games.” I was fighting hard against the tears now. In a way it was nice to be talking to Mrs. Everdeen again. She had been awful sad after her husband had died and had left Katniss and Prim to fend for themselves for quite some time. She had been doing better recently and she seemed closer to her old self again. I just wished Katniss was here to see it.   
“I should get going,” I said, there was still one more place I wanted to go before having to head back to the bakery. Mrs. Everdeen nodded. “Say hi to Prim for me,” I added.  
“I will” She said opening the door behind me. I stepped out the door. “Challah,” she called and I turned around, “If you need somewhere to go. You can always come here.”   
“Thanks,” I said before turning and walking away from the house.


	6. Into the Woods

I didn’t head home though. I went towards the fence that sectioned off District 12 from the rest of the world. I remembered the spots Katniss had showed me, where I could sneak under the fence. Just like she taught me I listened first. With the games going on we weren’t as likely to get the spurts in electricity that we usually do, but have a more constant flow of it coming through the District. I couldn’t hear the buzz of the fence so I slipped under it.   
I found one of the bows Katniss had hidden in a tree. I wasn’t as good of a hunter as her, although she had tried to teach me a bit throughout the years. I had picked up enough to know how to handle a bow, but this would be the first time I was out here without her.   
I was about to climb up a tree and see what my dad had put in the bag for me to eat when I remembered the pretty spot down by the valley that Katniss had showed me once. She told me it was her and Gale’s meeting spot. She told me that if I ever got lost out in the woods without her it would be the place to go so she could find me again. I tried to avoid it not wanting to take their place away from them, but something drew me to that place today so I went.  
I sat down on the rocks overlooking the valley where all the leaves were, their beautiful fall colors, and many of the trees had already lost their leaves.   
“What are you doing out here?” a deep voice said from behind me making me jump.   
I turned around. “Sorry Gale,” I said getting up to leave.   
“I didn’t say you had to go.” he said as he walked up and sat on the grass. I looked up at the sky trying to get an idea of what time it was, I guessed I had a few more hours before I had to head for home. So I sat down in the grass next to him.   
“Lonely?” I asked him. I had been out hunting with him and Katniss a few times since they had met but it wasn’t often and I knew he didn’t particularly like having me around, His silence was enough answer for me.   
I reached into my bag and pulled out some of the bread my dad had packed. He gave me way more than I could eat so I gladly took the opportunity to share with Gale. When I first handed him the roll he brushed it away. He wasn’t one to accept handouts. I reached for his hand and put the roll in it. “It won’t even cost you a squirrel.” I said to him with a smile. He closed his hand around it.  
“Thanks,” he said ripping off a small piece. “Surprised you thought to grab that.” he said. nodding over to the bow and the quiver of arrows I had left lying on the grass.  
“I learned a thing or two from you guys,” I said to him.   
“Did you watch… the tribute parade” He asked me.   
“Yeah…” I said, “She looked beautiful." It was true. Katniss looked stunning in the flames my mind had followed her more than Peeta that night.   
"It will certainly get them a lot of attention” He said.   
“And hopefully some sponsors” I added. We finished eating the little that we both wanted to. Gale told me to come with him while he checked the traps. I helped him collect a few plants that Katniss had told me about along the way. He even managed to help me shoot down a bird. It wasn’t as clean of a shot as Katniss would have made but it did what it was supposed to. And while he tried to get me to take it, I insisted he take it back to the Everdeens when we were finished. I tucked the bow and arrows back into the tree they had been hidden in and we went back through the fence.   
“Wait Gale.” I said as he turned away. I reached into my bag and pulled out what was left of the food my dad had put in the bag. “Take these home to your family too.” I said.   
“No” he said. I expected that answer, me making him take the small roll earlier was enough to wound his pride as it was. I had to watch what I said.  
“Take it," I said pushing the bundle into his chest, "You’re actually doing me a favor if you take them. I take them home and I’m likely to get another one of these.” I pushed my hair back so he could just see the bruise on my cheek. “Take them.” I hated playing the 'my mom hits me' card but I wanted him to take the food home to his family. Part of the reason he didn’t like me was because he thought we had enough to get by all the time. It was true, we did most of the time, but we fell on hard times too just like everyone. He just didn’t see that. He took the bundle out of my hand and started sulking back towards the houses in the Seam. I felt myself smile again. He might be a big tough guy but deep down he was just as sweet as Peeta.


	7. Training Scores

I got back to the bakery in time to help clean up and start the prep for the next day. I had only been working in the bakery for three days but I was starting to get everything all figured out and it wasn’t as overwhelming as it had seemed the first day. Rye and I were at the sink washing dishes together  
“How was your day today?” he asked. I was sure he knew about my special “delivery” job today.  
“It was good” I said with a smile and I found I really meant it I wasn’t just pretending for him.  
“Good” he said then I felt the water splash me in the face. I turned to look at him before turning to check that our mother wasn’t anywhere near before returning the favor. We started this little water fight until we were both having too much fun that if we didn’t stop we were bound to attract attention from our mother. We quickly cleaned up the water that we spilled. Finished putting everything away and then ran upstairs.  
When were finally upstairs I asked him. “What do you think they’ll give him?” Even the moments in Mrs. Everdeen’s kitchen and the time spent in the woods with Gale hadn’t erased from my mind that the training scores would be released tonight.  
“I think he could do well,” Rye said, “I really do. Maybe not in the Career range but well enough.” Rye had seen more Hunger Games then me and although he hated them as much as every other kid, he usually knew what he was talking about when it came to them. After dinner we all sat down in front of the TV again to watch Ceaser Flickerman announce the training scores. As expected the tributes from the career districts all got between 8-10’s; the girl from 11 got a 7 and that was a surprise to everyone. Then it was time for the District 12 tributes.  
Peeta was up first. An 8 flashed on across his face on the screen. I turned to Rye “That’s a career level score” I said. He just smiled and nodded at me. Next up was Katniss, an 11 flashed across the screen.  
I was shocked, unable to comprehend. I had never seen anyone get higher than 10. Let alone a girl from District 12. All eyes were definitely on her now. For better or worse.  
My celebration was quickly ended by my mother. “How did that little Seam brat manage to pull an 11!” my mother yelled.  
“You! Don’t get to say that!” Rye said before I even had the chance to process what was going on. “You tell him that he has no chance in the arena. That SHE’LL be the one to win if District 12 gets a winner. And then you call her a Seam brat when she does well!”  
“Rye” I said trying to stop him before anything happened.  
“Stay out of this” he turned to me.  
“You think it’s OK to talk to me like that.” My mother slapped him across the face. He didn’t even blink and just looked even madder than he had been before. He turned and walked downstairs and I heard the back door slam. Mom got up and pulled me by my shirt out of the chair “Go to bed!” she said to me shoving me toward the hallway hard enough to knock me off balance before locking herself in the office.  
“Challah,” my dad whispered. I shook my head no and headed off towards my room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've added a bonus chapter that fits between chapter 7 and chapter 8. It's simply titled Safe and Sound bonus chapter 7.5 it's linked to the Little Mockingjay series. So it should be easy to find.


	8. Dad

I don’t know how long I sat in my room. But I had been waiting to hear the back door open and close to let me know Rye had come home. I don’t think I could have slept if I tried though. Now I knew why Rye had been so mad after he had seen my brother at the reaping if she really had said that. And it also explained why Peeta had been so determined that it would be Katniss coming home although I knew part of that was just him and the way he thought of her.

  
I finally venture out of my room and sneak downstairs to the bakery kitchen. I’m not surprised when I find my dad down there. He turns around when he hears me come down the stairs. “You Ok?” he asks the concern clearly etched on his face. I nod and he pulls out a stool at the work table for me to sit next to him. “How was your day out today?” He asks me.

  
“It was good. Mrs. Everdeen seemed really good. Better than I’d seen her in a long time.” I knew that was why he was asking after all these years he still hadn’t stopped loving her. There was no denying the smile that played across his lips as I mentioned her.

  
“Glad to hear it.” He said. We just sat together for a while longer. Finally I asked the question I had been wondering about “Did she really say that to him. To Peeta. That if anyone from 12 won it would be Katniss?” I turned to look at him and I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. My dad sighed “yes…” he said simply as he brushed his hand through his hair. He acted so much like Peeta it was scary sometimes. “Do you think Rye will come back?” I asked. He laughed a little. “He will. He’s probably spending the night at Marissa's to try and cool down. He might not say it often or act like it but he loves you. He wouldn’t just leave you.” He turned around so his whole body was facing me on the stool. “How are you doing with all this. Peeta being in the games I mean.” I met his eyes, I could see all the hurt in his eyes. Just like Peeta. He could be an open book but he could hide it when he wanted to. Even when they tried to shut you out you could often get a hint of what they were feeling if you looked at their eyes. “I’m just confused” I said still fighting back tears “I can’t figure out how I’m supposed to feel about it. Some people already talk about him like he’s dead. I can’t figure out if should just treat him like he’s dead or wait till happens” I said letting the tears finally spill from my eyes. I watch as my dad’s eye’s start to water as he slowly moves his hand up toward my face making sure I can see every movement he makes and wipes the tears off my face. I think back to reaping day in the Justice Hall when I thought no one would be able to understand how I was feeling and as the tears started to fall from his eyes too I realized none of that was true. There was someone who felt the same way. “This isn’t easy for you either is it?” I finally ask. He shakes his head no. I get off my stool and walk over to him and hug him. It’s the first time I’ve hugged him since our fight almost three years ago. He pulls me in closer. I understood now that we both had someone we loved in the arena and we were going to need each other to get through it.


	9. A Day Off

There was still no sign of Rye when Dad and I were starting to clean the bakery as we did every Sunday. I was starting to worry a little and I’m sure my dad was too. My mother was upstairs in her office where she spent most of her days on Sundays while the bakery was closed. We had just finished cleaning one of the ovens when we heard the back door open. I saw my dad relax when Rye walked through the door and after quickly scanning him I couldn’t see any evidence of the fight the night before. He fit right in to helping us in the kitchen. He caught me looking at him and smiled at me briefly. The smile dropped from both our faces when he heard our mother coming down the stairs. I didn’t miss the glare she gave to Rye as she walked past him.   
“It’s your day off today after we finish this. Why don’t you go out for a bit today” My dad said making me jump. 

“I’m guessing you’re trying to get rid of me for a bit?” I whispered trying to find out if he was giving me time to spend with Alyssa, I hadn’t seen her since the day after the reaping. “Oh It should take you at least half an hour” he said glancing across the table at Rye. Some kind of look passed between them but I couldn’t quite figure it out. 

I was glad to find Alyssa in the store instead of her mom when I got there. “Challah!” she said when I walked through the door. “Did you watch the training score broadcast last night?” 

“What do you think?” I said lacking in the excitement she had shown. 

“Aren’t you so proud of him? Getting an eight that’s a great score!” Alyssa said. 

“Those scores don’t mean anything and you know that.” I told her.   
“Geez what’s your problem.” Alyssa said “Did something happen last night…” she quickly added

“A lot of things happened last night” I said hopping up onto the counter and grabbing a hard candy from behind the counter. I figured Alyssa’s parents wouldn’t mind. They used to give me sweets when I came over all the time.   
“OK tell me what I need to know” She said. I tell her just about everything that happened the night before. “Well,” she says when the story is through “At least you and your dad are kinda OK now.”

“I don’t know what we are anymore.” I tell her. “Peeta getting reaped just made everything more confusing. It’s like we're all stuck somewhere between him still being here and him being gone. Things could get so different so suddenly now. I’m terrified of what happens when those games start.” I didn’t know why I was telling her this. Alyssa was too positive of a person always looking for the silver lining to be listening to how messed up everything was in my life right then. 

“I used to be jealous of everything you and Peeta had. I used to wish I could be you have a brother who loved me the way he loved you. But I would never wish to trade places with you now.” She said slowly reaching for my hand. Mrs. Cherry chose that moment to walk in to the store. “Challah” She said the same sympathetic smile from the other day coming across her face. “What brings you here?” “The bakery’s closed today so I have the afternoon off” I answered. “Oh right!” she exclaimed. I didn’t stay long after Alyssa’s mom showed up. I said goodbye to Alyssa and headed on my way back to the bakery. I kept replaying what Alyssa had said over and over in my mind. But it wasn’t exactly what she said that was bothering me. She said Peeta and I did have… no we do have something special. It was how she had said it. She had started talking about Peeta in the past tense. She said she had been jealous of what we had and how much he loved me. I couldn’t help but wonder if everyone was right and I should be getting used to the idea of my brother not coming home. No one had said he wasn’t going to make it out yet. Well except for my mother. But people sure seemed to believe it.


	10. Interview Day

Interview day. The last day before the tributes go into the arena. Tonight could be the last night I see my brother alive. Even then it will just be through a TV screen. My dad tried to send me out on another delivery to the Seam, As much as I want to I tell him no. It would be the second working day in a row I had gone out on deliveries that took way longer than they were supposed to. My mother wasn’t suspicious yet. But the last thing I wanted was to give her a reason to be. Monday was always a busy day in the bakery. But I was glad because it helped to keep my mind off the interviews that night. Once everything had been prepped to go for the next day we all headed upstairs to watch the interviews. The tension between my mother and Rye was still noticeable. I felt kind of guilty because I knew the only reason he was there was because of me. If Peeta hadn’t been reaped he would have been out of there and moved in with Marrisa the second the reaping was over. 

Caesar Flickerman introduced the interviews and the tributes entered the stage. Katniss was beautiful and I had never seen Peeta look better. The tributes go in district order 1-12 girl then boy. We watch the rest of the interviews waiting for Katniss and Peeta’s interviews. I think the boy from 2, looks really scary. The boy from 11 is pretty intimidating too. I feel bad for the girl from 11 she’s so young and she seems so nice. 

Finally it’s time for the District 12 interviews. Katniss is up first. I can tell she’s nervous. Caesar asks about her costume from the tribute parade. And she shows off the new dress she is wearing that night. I’m mesmerized as she begins to twirl. The bottom of her skirt begins to look like flames. When she finally stops spinning she gets dizzy and Caesar helps her back to her seat. Then he asks her about Prim and I stop breathing for a second. Prim is what Katniss is fighting for. The one thing that will keep her alive in the arena. She answers the question saying she promised Prim she would try to win. Caesar says goodbye to her and brings Peeta up. His outfit is much simpler then Katniss but it suits him and he still looks handsome. Peeta and Caesar joke with each other and I can’t help but smile as he sounds so much like the Peeta I grew up with. Then Caesar asks a question that I was not expecting. Caesar asks if Peeta has a girl back home. I feel Rye tense up next to me. The three of us know about Katniss but my mother doesn't and this could be bad if it comes out. Peeta says no but Caesar keeps pushing and he begins to talk I scoot towards the edge of my chair and stare at the screen he hasn’t said her name yet but I know he’s talking about Katniss. Then Caesar makes some comment about how he just has to win the Games and go back to her. Then Peeta said something that changed my world. “Winning won’t help in my case. She came here with me.” My heart stops he just admitted to the entire country that he had a crush on Katniss. No more than that. He used the L word. He told everyone he loved her. The camera’s cut to Katniss and she looks shocked. Understandably. I take the chance to look over to my mother I can see the anger in her eyes and wonder who she’s going to take it out on this time. “He’s in love with that little Seam Slut who just proved to the whole country she’s good as nothing more than a twirling little princess.” She shouts. I cover my mouth and look down towards the floor. Trying to keep myself from saying something. Then I get pulled to my feet by mother grabbing my shirt collar. “Have something to say girl” she hisses at me. I don’t say anything “Out with it girl” She says as she shakes me. “I think Katniss is a great girl. I’m glad Peeta likes her.” I say. She spins me around and pushes me right into the wall. She’s holding me right up against the wall and I’m trying to keep my dad and Rye out of this. “Why would you think that Seam trash is a good girl” My mother says. I decide to be honest if I’m not she’s likely to take it out on Rye. “I’ve talked to her a few times at school.” It’s all I can think to tell her without getting anyone else in trouble. My mom grabs my arm and drags me into her office. She shuts the door and shoves me up against the wall into one of her bookshelves the books fall around me as I fall to the floor. She rushes to pick one up and hits me right across the face with it. “You’re just as stupid as that boy.” She hits me once more, throws the book on top of me landing with a thud on my chest. Then she storms out the door. I can already feel the side of my face starting to swell and bruise. I’m sure the part of my chest where the book hit will bruise based on how much it hurts. I didn’t hear my mom go anywhere but when my Dad and Rye came into the room I know she was probably in my parents’ bedroom. When I heard them walk in the door I started to try and get up. My dad was at my side in a second “easy” he told me as he helped me to sit up. “I’m OK” I told him.  
“You sure?” He said. I could see the tears forming in his eyes.   
“Yea” I told him trying to work up a smile. He didn’t quite look like he believed me and I guess he had all the reason not to because I wasn’t.   
“Let’s get you to bed” he said. I flinched slightly as he moved toward me. “You’re OK” he whispered as he slipped his arms under me and lifted me up. He carried me out of the office past Rye. “Were you trying to get yourself killed?” he said as we walked past.   
“Rye!” my dad warned.  
“Let him say what he wants.” I said to my dad “I figured if Peeta wasn’t keeping secrets anymore. Why should I?”  
“Peeta doesn't have anything to lose” Rye said.   
“And I do?” I said.   
“Enough.” My dad stopped us and carried me off towards my room.


	11. Late at Night

I don’t sleep much that night. Either everything hurts or I start having nightmares about Peeta getting killed in the games. When I was little I had learned to wake myself up before my nightmares got too out of control. If I got freaked out and managed to wake my mom up I was always in trouble. She didn’t always hit me but she would always yell at me. After a while Peeta started keeping an eye on me. How he always knew when I was having a nightmare I don’t know but he would usually come wake me up before they got too bad and if I had woken myself up he was always there not long after. He’d sing our lullaby and I’d fall back asleep. This time there was no Peeta to make it better.

It was early in the morning but I knew my dad would be up so I ventured out of my room. My mother wouldn’t be up until just before the bakery opened and Rye would probably be asleep for at least another hour. As I walked out into the living room of our apartment above the bakery I could hear my dad downstairs in the bakery. As I headed down the stairs I could hear him humming. He often did this in the early mornings he was working in the bakery but the closer I got to the door separating the stairs to our house from the bakery kitchen I began to recognize the tune. 

“Where’d you learn that?” I asked. He turned around quickly having not heard me come downstairs. 

“Challah” he said seaming a little surprised to see me “What are you doing down here?” 

“Couldn’t sleep” I answered honestly “Where’d you learn that song dad” I wasn’t about to let him ignore that question. 

“Peeta had to learn it from somewhere” he told me. 

“I guess I never thought about that.” I said. He pulled out one of the stools by the work table my cue to sit down. He pulled a tray out of the oven and placed a pastry in front of me. “Careful that’s hot” he said. It didn’t matter I wasn’t all that hungry. He placed the tray on the cooling rack grabbing a pastry for himself and sitting on the stool next to me. “I don’t want you working today” he said quickly. 

“Dad…” I started startled by this sudden change of plans. 

“No, I want you to take it easy today no working, no special deliveries” He said. 

“I’m fine dad” I said knowing this was all stemming from what happened last night. Everything was sore but I felt fine. 

“She’s never hurt you this bad Challah. Any of you. And if you haven’t been sleeping you're more likely to make a mistake that could get you in even more trouble. I’m not willing to risk it. I can’t lose two of you.” He thought she would kill me. Actually there were times I thought she was more than capable of doing it. Sometimes I wondered why she just didn’t. He had marked Peeta off as dead too  
. “Neither of us are dead yet” I said a mark of defiance in my voice. My dad didn’t say anything. 

“I can’t…” I said starting to feel myself fall apart I didn’t have the energy to keep trying to keep it together. To keep fighting. “I can’t not work today. I can’t just be stuck upstairs replaying every way that creepy boy from 2 could kill him. All the way’s I could watch him die.” The tears were falling from my eyes now. 

“Let’s go back upstairs. See if we can get you asleep again for awhile.” As he guided me upstairs I felt like I was 6 years old instead of 13 he got me tucked back into bed. Sat on the edge of my bed and told me to close my eyes as he stroked my hair.   
I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I’d never let you go  
When all those shadows almost took your light.   
I remember you said don’t leave me here alone.   
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight  
My dad didn’t have the best singing voice in the world. That title was reserved for the late Mr. Everdeen the one thing that attracted Mrs. Everdeen to him and pulling her away from my father. Katniss was probably a close second to that title if she didn’t take over the spot completely with his passing. But my dad still had a voice that could calm me. One that sounded close enough to Peeta’s that when I closed my eyes and just listened I could pretend it was him singing.


	12. The 74th Annual Hunger Games

I wake up again a few hours later. My side still hurts as I get out of bed but I manage to make my way out towards the living area of the apartment. “Look who's up” I hear from the kitchen it’s Rye. I turn around It’s only a quick look but I see the look of shock cross across his face. This is the first time he’s really seen the damage our mother caused last night. “Want something to eat?” he asks. I shake my head no and walk towards the living room fully aware that I should have eaten something having not touched the pastry my dad gave this morning but food was the last thing on my mind. I settle down onto the couch resting my back up against the arm and pulling my knees up towards my chest. It hurts at first but eventually my body settles into it. Rye joins me on the couch moments later stopping to turn on the TV. Caesar Flickerman is on the TV showing clips of the tributes as everyone waits for them to enter the arena only about 30 minutes to go. Rye glances at me my hand is still clutching my side. “Are you OK?” he asks not looking at me. I’m not sure whether he’s asking about me physically or how I’m holding up with the imminent start to the games. “I’m fine” I reply it’s not the truth but I don’t feel like saying anything else. We sit in silence. Clips of the tribute parade show Katniss and Peeta in their fire costumes. They play the clip of Peeta’s interview where he says he loves Katniss. I missed her reaction the night before. The shock on her face is easy to see. I know she probably didn’t take to that truth all too well. As they wrap up the summary of the tributes.

 

My dad comes upstairs. Just minutes before the games are about to start. The bakery will be closed now but my mother will spend the rest of the day downstairs just in case anyone stops by on their way back home from watching the beginning of the games in the square never willing to miss a sale even when her own children are involved. My dad sits quietly on the couch between Rye and I. He glances at me but I'm focused on the TV screen. Caesar sends the TV audience into the arena. It's a big open field the giant cornucopia with all its goodies sitting in the middle of the 24 metal platforms that will soon showcase the 24 tributes. "Here come the tributes." Caesar says as the metal platforms begin to rise and the tributes come into view. I find Peeta and Katniss almost immediately. Claudius Templesmith comes on with his annual announcement "Let the 74th annual hunger games begin!" then the timer begins to count down from 60 I can see all the tributes trying to come up with a game plan. I think I notice Peeta shaking his head at Katniss in the background of one shot but I'm not entirely sure. The buzzer sounds. All the tributes run towards the cornucopia except for a few who grab the nearest items or nothing at all and head straight into the surrounding areas of the arena. It won't be until the fight here has settled down before we find out what happens to those tributes. The camera cuts to the girl from 2 as she throws a knife into the back of the boy tributes as the boy falls. I see Katniss. The girl from 2 has another knife ready to throw but Katniss is up and running with the backpack she managed to grab and the knife just pierces the backpack but causes no harm to her. In all the chaos I can’t find Peeta. Although in all the shots of dead tributes I don’t see him. Caesar and Claudius are silent there’s no use trying to make commentary on this part to much happens too quickly. Everything slows down. The living tributes have dispersed into other parts of the arena. The camera’s show all the bodies surrounding the cornucopia. The career tributes are strategizing. Both tributes from 1 and 2. The boy tribute from 3, and the girl tribute from 4 look like they round out the career pack. The cannon's start to boom and the commentary starts. But that’s not what I see. “Peeta” I whisper. Rye and dad turn to look at me. They don’t see him. I’m about to point him out hiding around the side of the cornucopia when the cameras change to show the other tributes around the arena. 4 of the living tributes are in the woods a good amount of distance between them. Katniss is one of these tributes. The boy from 11 has gone off to the other side of the arena. “What is happening here?” Caesar says as the cameras take us back to the cornucopia. We can all see Peeta now. Standing right in front of the careers. He didn’t make it out completely unharmed but he’s not dead and still looks like he stands a chance. _What are you doing!_ I think he’s staring death right in the face.

“I can help you find her” Peeta says. Katniss he’s talking about Katniss. The career tributes seam to consider his offer. Probably wondering if it’s worth the risk or if he’s lying to them. “Alright Lover Boy” The scary kid from 2 says. I’m honestly surprised to see Peeta so far on the offensive in his game. Even with his 8 training score I thought for sure he’d take the run and hide strategy. Rye and my dad eventually get on with their day. But I’m glued to the TV. Holding onto any time that Peeta and Katniss are on the screen. What I thought would be one of the longest days ever becomes one of the quickest. Soon it’s dark out in the arena and in District 12. There aren’t any more tributes killed that day. In fact it’s pretty slow. The Career tributes head out as the sun begins to set to hopefully use the dark to their advantage in finding other tributes. After the sun is fully set the tributes all stop to watch the faces of the tributes that have been killed that day while those of us watching from the outside see short clips of all their deaths. After the faces are gone the cameras go back to the group of career tributes they find the light and smoke of a fire. The young girl tries to convince the tributes surrounding her to let her go. But these are careers and that’s not how they play. The boy from 2 cuts her with his knife and when he’s sure she’s dead they head off. As they’re walking they wait for the cannon. It doesn't happen. The girl from 1 suggests that she may not be dead but the boy from 2 quickly blows her off. The camera’s cut to a tree. Katniss. You can barely see her on the screen through the leaves but she’s there. She can see them. She can hear them. But they don’t notice her. “We’re wasting time! I’ll go finish her and let’s move on!” I hear the familiar voice say. “Go on, then, Lover Boy, see for yourself “the boy from 2 says as Peeta walks off, “Why don’t we just kill him?” the girl form 1 asks in a whiny voice. “Let him tag along. What’s the harm? And he’s handy with that knife. Besides, he’s our best chance at finding her” The scary boy from 2 says. They haven’t moved Katniss heard everything. She knows she’s being hunted now. And she knows Peeta’s working with them. Then the camera’s cut to Peeta. He’s with the girl that’s supposedly dead At first he doesn't kill her. She asks him to but he won’t do it. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just think you shouldn’t be alone” He tells her. “You should just kill me. If you wait they won’t trust you anymore” The girls voice fades with every word that she says. Peeta takes a deep breath before killing the girl. No one else will be paying attention to the subtle change in his eyes but I see it. He’s not OK with what he just did. He knows why he just did it. I know why he did it. He needs the careers at this point. He can’t afford to have them turn on him. Even with this understanding I feel the tears start to fall. It’s not so much that I just watched my brother kill someone as much as I see how much it hurt him. I didn’t know my dad was even out in the living room with me until the TV switches off. “You should go to bed” He says. I slowly get off the couch my side still tends to hurt. “You can go out to the Seam tomorrow if you want” He says as I walk past him. “OK” I say. I head off to my room. Hoping Peeta’s still alive when I wake up.


	13. Into the Woods 2

I wake up early the next morning. I feel better than I did the day before but one quick glance in the mirror in my room tells me I don’t look a lot better. I get ready for the day knowing already I’m taking my dad’s offer to head to the Seam today. No one else is up. I walk into the living room and think about turning on the TV to check on Katniss and Peeta but I don’t. It was too risky to wake someone up.The games will be playing on the big screen in the square I can swing by on my way to the Seam and check on them there. I sneak down the stairs and find the bag I usually take with me on my adventures to the Seam. It’s already filled with a box for the Everdeens and food for my trip today. I find a note inside the bag from my dad.   
Make sure you stop by the Everdeen’s today. Be back by the time the bakery closes. Be Careful. Try to take your mind off things.   
~Dad

I grab the bag and head for the Seam. I could tell that he must have baked most of this the day before but it was all still good and most likely he was just trying to hide all the extra from my mother so none of us would get in trouble. I take a little longer walk to the Seam so I can swing through the square and check out the Games. It looks like after Peeta killed that girl they didn’t manage to find anyone else and had gone back to their camp by the lake. Katniss wasn’t in the tree anymore having decided to move on. Content that they were still alive. I continued my journey to the Seam. I didn’t go straight for the Everdeen’s this time. I had a feeling that one look at my injuries from Mrs. Everdeen would send me on a trip straight back to the bakery so I headed out to the woods first. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon as I slipped under the fence. Grabbing the bow and arrows that Katniss and her father had hidden closest to the part of the fence I went through this time. I thought about where to go. I knew where Gale’s trap lines were now. I could go try and help him out by checking them and taking them back to his family and the Everdeens since he was working in the mines now that he was 18 he didn’t have as much time out here. However I knew he was likely to move them if I did that. He wouldn’t know it was me that had found the lines. So I headed to the spot by the valley. Gale was already there when I came up. 

“Hey” I said coming up behind him. 

“Hi” He said. He didn’t look at me but he moved over a little and I took that as my cue to sit with him. “You didn’t watch yesterday did you?” I asked. He was being far too nice to me he clearly didn’t know what my brother was doing. “Just a little” He said. That right there was my answer he did know what had happened with Peeta last night. He was clearly fighting to urge to take it out on me. He finally turned to look at me. The look of shock on his face when he saw the bruises on my face made me giggle a little. I usually tried to come up with excuses when I showed up with these kind of things. But he was letting me into his safe place away from everything his special place with Katniss. So I decided not to lie to him. It wasn’t like the whole district didn’t know what happened inside the bakery behind closed doors. Rye, Peeta and I were often sporting the evidence of it. Opinions on it just tended to differ. “Book. The night of the interviews.” I told him. I knew I could probably use this moment to gain some of his trust. If we were going to help take care of Prim and her mom as well as keep Gale’s family going we were going to have to work together. “I stood up for Katniss against my mother. It clearly didn’t work out so well for me.” I reached into my bag and pulled out some of the food my dad had packed. I offered some to him. He was reluctant at first but he took it from me and pulled out another small treat for myself. We sat in silence for awhile. We finished eating and Gale stood up. I was surprised when he reached down to help me up. I grabbed my bag and the bow and arrows I had and followed him towards the trap line. Suddenly he stopped me. Held his fingers to his lips and pointed up to a tree. I could see the squirrel. I looked at him and he smiled and started continuing his walk towards the trap lines. I loaded my bow and took my aim trying to remember everything Katniss had taught me. I hit it. I walked over to where the squirrel had fallen. I had shot it right in the eye. Just like Katniss. I figured I had just been lucky. Katniss had always told me that hitting an animal anywhere in the head or right in the heart would kill them. So she always aimed for their eye but could usually be sure to get them somewhere where she would kill them. She never missed though. I took back the arrow and grabbed the squirrel by the tale and walked over to where Gale was by the trap lines. When I saw him I noticed something that almost looked like pride flicker in his eyes. I handed him the squirrel and he looked at it. I saw his eyes darken for a minute when he found where I had shot it. “Looks like she taught you well” He said. “It was just luck” I told him. “Let’s go finish checking the trap lines. Then we can head back to the valley and clean all this.” We walked along the trap lines and we actually made out pretty well. We were sitting back on the rocks by the valley where we had started our morning, We had gotten a lot done out here in the few hours we had. I finished cleaning the squirrel I had got and tried to hand it over to Gale. “No, keep that one take it back to your dad.” 

That’s when I realized it was Wednesday. Things in the bakery slowed down Wednesday-Friday so my mom often took the opportunity to go run errands or tell her friends how stupid her children were although I’m sure now she was milking the fact that her poor baby was in the Games to get all she could. Wednesday’s were the days Katniss and Gale would come by to trade with my Dad for just that reason. Any of us could handle what our mother tried to dish out. But the last thing Dad or me or even Peeta wanted was for Katniss and Gale to get caught in the middle. “But then you don’t get anything for it” I replied back.   
“I didn’t shoot it” He said. “Come on. I have to head into the mines soon. And we both need to stop at the Everdeen’s first.” I got up took my squirrel and followed him. I backtracked a little to where I needed to put my borrowed bow and arrows back. Then we headed off towards the Everdeen's. On the way there I hid my squirrel in my bag and gave Gale the rest of the bakery I had in my bag except for the box reserved for the Everdeen’s He put up less of a fight this time. I couldn’t help but wonder if even with Gale working in the mines they still weren’t getting enough there were an awful lot of kids in that family. “Gale, What do you think if I tried to sneak out here a little more often in the mornings. Then someone is always checking the trap lines even on the days when you can’t get out here yourself. I can take whatever I find or hunt and split it between the Everdeen's and you?” 

“I don’t want your handouts. Just because you have all the time in the world to spend doing whatever you want” He said.   
“I’m not trying to give you handouts, Gale” I said.

“Really? That’s kind of what it sounds like.” He said as he spun around to face me.   
“You think this is all one-sided.” I started “You think I’m not getting something out of this. Peeta asked me something when I said goodbye to him before the games. He told me to take care of Katniss’ family and while he didn’t specifically mention you. Taking care of her family means taking care of you too. And every minute I stay out there” I said as I pointed towards the woods. “Is a minute I’m not worrying about if I’m going to get hit by my mother.or worrying about if my brother is going to be alive tomorrow. You're not the only one getting something out of this.” I knew I was close to yelling now but I could see I was getting through to him. “You can’t take care of all of them on your own Gale. Especially now that you're working. I’m not Katniss. I’m not trying to be. I just want to help.” I was calmer now. 

“OK” He said “But you have to take a squirrel for yourself every once in a while. And no trading at the Hobb. Leave that to me. I don’t want them taking advantage of you because you’re a merchant girl.” Since he was adding conditions of his own I decided to throw mine into the mix. “If we meet up in the woods and I offer you food from the bakery you don’t get to turn it down.” 

“Deal” he said.


	14. Squirrel

On my way back to the bakery I stopped by the square again to check on Peeta and Katniss. It seemed like nothing major must be happening. After the bloodbath things tend to slow down for the first few days while people try and form a plan or at least until the game makers decide to mix it up a little. I head back to the bakery and quietly sneak through the back door. It’s just barely eight in the morning. The bakery had been open for about an hour and I couldn’t be sure that my Mother had gone out yet. “She’s gone.” I hear Rye say from the kitchen. 

“Where’s dad?” I asked. I was feeling kind of proud of myself for being able to bring the squirrel home and knowing I had hunted it myself. 

“Right here.” My dad said coming in from the front of the store. 

“I have something for you” I told him walking back into the back room where I had left my bag with the squirrel. “Here” I said taking it out of my bag.

“Run into Gale today?” he asked. “I hope you gave him something for this.” 

“I tried to give him the squirrel but he wouldn’t take it because he didn’t shoot it but don’t worry I gave him some of the food you sent me with too.” I said as I grabbed my apron off the hook and started getting ready to work. It took my dad a minute to register all of what I had just told him. 

“You shot this?” he finally asked. At the question even Rye stopped working to look at me.   
“What do you want me to start working on?” I asked not answering their question. They both continued to stare at me.   
“Yes, I shot it.” I finally told them. My dad sighed and took the squirrel upstairs. 

“You seriously shot that?” Rye looked at me.

“Mother’s not here. Why would I lie if she’s not here.” I told him with a smile. He even gave me back a little smile and for a second I thought he might be proud of me. If anything for my sassy response. The bells over the door rang telling us someone had entered the shop. Rye had started toward the front of the shop when I stopped him. 

“I got it.” I said heading out to the store. “Alyssa!” I said. When I saw her standing on the other side of the counter. I saw the bruise on my face register on hers but Alyssa knew better than to ask about it. 

“It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you this happy. I wasn’t expecting this.” She said a smile on her face. 

“I caught a squirrel this morning.” I leaned over the counter and whispered.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve done that.” Alyssa whispered back.

“But it’s the first time I’ve brought it home.” I told her. 

“They didn’t freak out?” She said. “No, they seemed OK with it.” I answered. Then she asked the question I was hoping she wouldn’t.   
“Did you watch the Games yesterday?” Any other year it would have been a perfectly innocent question. But this year it meant something else.

“I thought Peeta was really brave for trying to join up with the careers. Maybe he does have what it takes to get out of there.” She said trying to cover her tracks.

“Have you watched anymore?” I asked “I haven’t seen much is he still alive?” 

“He’s still alive. So is Katniss although she hasn’t found water yet so the cameras have been trailing her waiting for her to die of dehydration. But she’s smart and I think she might be close to something.” 

“Thanks” I said. 

“Sure, I should probably let you get back to work. I figured you wouldn’t be able to come out this afternoon so I thought I would stop by.” Alyssa said. 

“Oh my gosh! I totally forgot!” I told her. It was Wednesday. Me and Alyssa usually spent time together Wednesday afternoon’s when we had off of school. 

“It’s OK” She told me. “You’ve had other things on your mind the last week or so. I’ll see you later.”   
“Bye” I called out as she walked back through the door. 

My dad made the squirrel for lunch. The squirrels my dad got from Gale and Katniss were usually had to be lunch because if my Mother found them while she was likely to get pretty upset. Squirrels were for “Seam People”.


	15. Fire

The next morning I snuck out of the house before everyone was awake to go check the trap lines. In my house that really meant the middle of the night. If Katniss was here she would have yelled at me for it. Even she wouldn’t go out into the woods this long before the sun was up. But this was the easiest time for me to go. I stop in the square to check on the Games. I stop when the big screen comes into view. I can see the glow of the fire. The camera is split. On one side I see Katniss running from a fire. On the other I see the careers including Peeta running from what I’m sure is the same fire. The actual flames look a safe distance away from the career group but close enough that they are feeling the effects of them. I know I should keep heading towards the Seam and the woods but I stop. Katniss tries to jump over a log that is on fire. But doesn’t make it all the way over I can’t tell if she’s hurt but her jackets caught on fire. She rips it out and tries to smother the fire as best she can while she keeps running. I wonder how many people are actually watching this the square is empty, expect for me and most people won’t catch it until the overnight re-cap in the morning. The smoke is starting to suffocate her now she tries to hide from it behind some rocks but she can’t completely escape the smoke she starts to throw up. It’s obvious she doesn't have much strength left but I’m begging her to keep going. The careers and more importantly Peeta are getting close if she dies and he finds her… Well that just can’t happen. Just when I think she might actually be safe the fireballs start. They are all aimed right toward her. The cameras aren’t showing the careers anymore so I’m guessing they’re out of danger. No fear of them dying, no reason to show them. Katniss runs from the fire balls dodging them as they fly. They stop for a while and Katniss is sick again, she gets hit with a fireball when she can’t move fast enough. Her pants catch on fire. She puts some of it out but then rips the fabric from her pants. “No, Katniss” I almost shout at the screen before quickly looking around and double checking I’m alone. The fireballs stop. And I take notice of the fact that the sun is just starting to come over the horizon of the Arena and in District 12. I can’t wait much longer. My dad is most likely already awake. I have time before I’m in any real danger but I’m cutting it close. I start back on my journey to the woods. I slip under the fence. The weather is getting colder so I know any of the meat or plants I can find is important for the Everdeen’s and the Hawthorne’s. I take the squirrels and rabbits off the trap lines and keep my eyes out for anything else I might be able to shoot, I don’t find anything but I’m also rushing. I’m heading to the Hawthorne’s to drop off what I got I leave it just outside the door where Gale and I talked about the day before and start heading back toward the bakery. I’m still trying to hurry home although the sun is up and I’m pretty sure to get caught now. The square is getting busier as District 12 starts to wake up. I glance at the screen in the square and I see Katniss in a small pond. I didn’t see how many burns she had gotten from the fire earlier but I’m guessing the water is helping. That’s when I catch the first glance of the careers coming from the tree line. “No” I whisper and start running back towards home. I open the back door of the bakery drop my bag and run up the stairs to our apartment above. “Challah?” I hear my dad question but I’m already well on my way upstairs. I quickly turn on the TV. Now Katniss is running through the woods and the careers aren’t far behind. Peeta is trailing the group and I can see him trying to come up with a plan to get her and maybe himself out of there. Once again I can’t shake the feeling I’m about to watch Peeta die. By now my dad has followed me upstairs. “Challah…” He starts. I don’t look at him but I can tell from the way his voice drops out that he’s realized what’s happening. Katniss has climbed into a tree and the careers are surrounding the base of the tree. Katniss smiles “How’s everything with you?” she says to the careers. Of course she would think that’s a good idea. 

“Well enough, Yourself?” The boy from District 2 says. He still creeps me out. 

“It’s a bit warm for my taste, The air’s better up here. Why don’t you come on up?” Katniss says. 

“What is she doing?” I say to the TV. The boy from 2 starts to climb the tree as Katniss climbs higher. He grabs on to a branch that can’t support his weight and I have to stop myself from laughing. Then the girl from 1 tries. She doesn't get high but has the bow and arrows so she stops and starts shooting at Katniss. Her aim is horrible. I can shoot better than her. Then Peeta speaks. “Oh, let her stay up there. It’s not like she’s going anywhere. We’ll deal with her in the morning.” I’m trying to figure out what he’s thinking when I hear the voice behind me.   
“Why aren’t you working girl?” I don’t even have time to answer before her hand has reached my face. “Go, stop wasting my time.” She grabs my arm and pulls me from my spot on the couch and pushes me towards the stairs down to the bakery.


	16. Tracker Jackers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long to post. I don't really have a good reason since everything's already written but I hope you enjoy!

It’s after dark the next time I have the chance to check on the Games. Katniss is still in the trees but it seems like she’s trying to come up with a plan or maybe already has one based on the way she’s now climbing up the tree. I can tell it’s not easy for her she’s definitely been hurt bad in the fire. She reaches a branch and Caesar announces that it’s a Tracker Jacker nest. I’ve been lucky enough to only see a real life Tracker Jacker nest once and Katniss took the opportunity to remind me that Tracker Jackers are best to be avoided and we headed in the other direction so I was confused to why she was getting so close to them now. 

Then the Panem anthem started. Katniss began sawing on the branch with her knife. That’s when I realized what she was doing. Her plan was to drop the nest on the careers. And Peeta… The anthem stopped and Katniss stopped when she climbed back toward her sleeping bag she found her first silver parachute in her sleeping bag. The parachute had medicine in it she put the medicine on her burns and fell asleep for the night. The camera’s cut down to the careers and their camp below Peeta wasn’t “on guard” that night but he was still awake staring up at the tree watching her. I decided they would all sleep now and I probably should too.


	17. Trouble

Once again I got up to sneak out to the woods and check the trap lines. And of course on my way out I stopped by the square and checked on the 24 hour coverage of the games. When I got there Katniss was sawing through the rest of the tree branch the careers all sleeping below. I watched her get stung three times. I knew they could kill her but I hoped they wouldn’t. She is a strong girl and I was sure a few Tracker Jacker stings couldn’t kill her if 16 years living in District 12 didn’t. The nest falls and the careers begin to run. Peeta makes it away but does get a few stings. All the careers end up with a few stings but the Tracker Jackers seem particularly interested in the girl from 1 and the girl from 4 I’m sure both of them won’t make it through this. 

Katniss has headed back to the little pond just as the sun is coming up. I'm just about to leave when she gets out of the pond and back towards the tree. I’m trying to figure out what she’s doing when I remember the bow and arrows that the girl from 1 had. She’s going back to get them! She gets there and tries to wrestle them from the girl. She ends up having to break some of her fingers and has a hard time getting the arrows from under the girl. She’s shaky and it’s obvious the venom from the Tracker Jackers is starting to take an effect. Then Peeta shows up. Of course he shows up he wouldn’t just leave without knowing if she lived my guess is he heard the cannon and panicked that it was her. He starts yelling at her to run and she manages to get up and go. I wish the rest of District 12 was up watching this with me but it’s too early for them to be up. But just then the boy from 2 shows up and gets in a fight with Peeta for not killing Katniss. There both falling under the effects of the Tracker Jacker so their fighting is getting clumsy. The boy from District 2 manages to get a pretty good shot at Peeta’s leg before Peeta is able to get his bearings enough to take advantage of the fact the boy is out of it and get away. Now that the fighting is over the sun is already up and I quietly whisper at the screen “You have to stop getting in trouble in the morning” before I ran off to the woods.


	18. Not OK

By the time I’m heading back to the bakery it’s well into the morning. I walk past the big screen in the square and everything looks calm in the arena so I figure everyone is passed out from the Tracker Jackers this morning. I walk into the back door of the bakery hoping my mother is already out for the day. When I enter the kitchen no one is there. Then someone walks through the door separating the storefront from the kitchen. “Marissa!” I called out.

“Hi sweetie.” She said pulling me close. 

“Where is everyone?” I asked. 

“Upstairs” she said glancing towards the stairs “Don’t you know what happened this morning?” 

“Yea the Careers and Peeta and Katniss all got bit by tracker jackers.” I said.

“And Peeta and the boy from 2 got into a fight. Did you see that?” 

“Yea I saw that. He got a pretty decent shot at Peeta but Peet got away.” I told her remembering the fight I had seen this morning.

“Peeta got away but he’s not OK Challah.” Marissa said. I backed away from her. 

“What do you mean?” I asked. 

“He’s hurt pretty bad. Rye and your dad are upstairs...” Marissa said.

“Waiting for him to die.” I finished for her. I turned around and ran up the backstairs. “I don’t get it.” I said when I reached the top of the stairs. “It didn’t look that bad this morning.” I sat in a chair slightly off from my dad and Rye. “It’s not necessarily the actual injury I’m worried about. As much as the Tracker Jacker venom.” my dad said.

“When did you become a healer?” I snapped at him turning my attention back to the TV. I knew that it wasn’t the best thing to say to him right then. But I hated the idea that I was the only one holding on to any hope that he could come home. I kept telling myself that if the Tracker Jacker venom was going to kill him it would have. It killed those other two girls almost right away. I’m not sure I actually believed myself. We spent the rest of the day up there waiting for something to happen. Nothing did.


	19. Chapter 19: Challah

The morning after the Tracker Jacker attack some of the tributes begin to wake up. It’s Saturday which means that even though my mother won’t make an appearance in the bakery she’ll be upstairs all day working in her office. I still make the trip to the woods in the morning knowing tomorrow will be a bigger trip when Gale is able to come out. I would never call Gale and I friends but I know him well enough to know he’d never miss a day out there. When I make my way back to the bakery Rye and Dad have somehow managed to move the TV downstairs into the kitchen and have the picture projecting onto the back wall of the bakery.   
“How’d you convince Mother to let you do that?” I asked Rye as I tied my apron on for work that day.  
“We told her if we moved if down here we wouldn’t have to stop working to check on the Games. Then she made some comment about why we cared if that good for nothing boy lived or died anyway…” He trailed off. Rye could be a real jerk sometimes. Out of all my brothers he was the one who I found the most annoying. I had to give him credit he had grown up a lot in the two weeks since reaping day. I chanced a look at the screen. “Rye…” I whispered “look” he turned around and towards the screen where we saw Peeta starting to stir. “Go get dad.” He told me. Dad was in the front of the store but there weren’t any customers out there. “I thought I heard you come back.” He said when he saw me coming through the door out of the corner of his eye. “Dad” I started and he turned around. Like Peeta my dad had always been really perceptive. “Are you OK?” he asked. “It’s Peeta.” I started and watched his breath catch like he was waiting for me to say he had died. “He’s awake.” I finished and we both pushed our way back through the door. Rye’s still staring at the screen Peeta’s up and limping and clearly still a little out of it. I get my first clear look at the gash on his leg and it looks bad. I hope there are no other tributes around because he’s dead if they are. It’s about half an hour later when Peeta manages to find the big river that runs through the arena. In that time we’ve checked on the Careers who are trying to figure out how to find Peeta and Katniss without Peeta on their side. My dad steps in and out of the bakery kitchen in between taking care of customers out front. Rye had left on a “delivery” not long after they had switched over to showing the Careers but I knew he was probably with Marissa. They were supposed to get married soon but had put everything on hold after Peeta got reaped for the Games. 

Dad's standing at the edge of the work table when Peeta settles into the rocks and begins to cover himself with the mud and grass he’s gathered. Once he lays back on the rocks and closes his eyes he’s invisible. “Well, at least all that cake decorating came in handy for him someway.” My dad said trying to lighten the mood but it was taking everything I had to hold myself together. That was when it hit me that I’d probably never see a cake or cookie decorated by my older brother again. It had just become a waiting game again. We were just waiting for him to die again now. “Let me show you something.” My dad whispered as he went over to one of the tall cabinets I couldn’t get to on my own. “I was going to save this. But I think now is as good a time as any.” He said as he pulled down the book I hadn’t seen since my first day working in the bakery. “What’s that for?” I asked as he laid the book onto the work table finding the page he was looking for before pushing the book towards me. I read the title of the page ‘Challah’ it said. I looked up at my dad. “Are you serious?” I asked him.

“Yes.” He said a small smile creeping onto his face. “You’ve done well I think you’re ready for it. and we’re not all that busy so we have the time.” All the kids in my family were named after bread or some kind of baked good. And it was a big deal when you learned to make the treat you were named after. It had been kind of our way of saying we had grown up. Peeta only learned how to make his name-sake last year when he was 15. Rye was so mad because he had to wait until he was 16 almost 17 before he learned. At 13 I would be the youngest Mellark kid to earn that honor and after only 2 weeks in the bakery that I barely worked I was surprised my dad trusted me so much. “Start gathering ingredients and lets get started.” My dad said taking a seat by the table.


	20. Chapter 20

Sunday morning means Gale will be joining me out today. Luckily for us and my special baking lesson yesterday has left us with some slightly messed up but still very good snacks to eat out on our adventures today. I follow the same path I’ve been following for the last few days but skip the trap lines and head right to the little spot by the valley. “Well you should be happy today.” I heard the deep voice say from behind me. “She’ll wake up. She’d be dead already if she wasn’t.” I said trying to reassure him. 

“She’s just a sitting duck out there though.” He said sitting next to me. His voice is calmer but the fire is still burning in his eyes. Despite the fact that my brother admitted to the entire country he was in love with Katniss just a little less than a week ago. I could recognize that Gale probably had similar feelings for her. Although I don’t think he’d ever tell her. “Think about how much easier it is to hunt a squirrel if it’s not moving.” 

“Peeta’s in the same spot.” I told him “But he’s going to die whether another tribute finds him or not.” I pulled out the challah bread from last night.

“What’s that?” Gale asks looking at the new bread I’ve brought out. It’s not a type of bread you see often in 12. “Challah bread.” I tell him as I rip off a piece. I couldn’t help but laugh at the look on his face when he made the connection between my name and the bread I was holding. I was glad for the change in subject. “None of it’s perfect but it still tastes good” I told him handing the piece over to him.

“I see give the rejects to the Seam” Gale said that familiar tone in his voice when he talked to the merchant kids. 

“I’m eating it too.” I said putting a piece in my mouth. “I don’t bring or give you anything I wouldn’t eat myself.” He still glared at me. “Gale, just try it!” I said. He looked at the bread hesitantly before taking a bite. I watched his face and tried to hide a giggle as he tried to hide how much I could tell he liked it. “It’s OK” he said trying to sound casual. 

 

“Come on lets go. You might get the whole day off but I have to get back to the bakery and help clean up.” We checked the trap lines and both of us were able to shoot a couple more rabbits and squirrels. I sent all the food home with Gale telling him I had taken a squirrel for myself earlier in the week. Which I didn’t but he didn’t need to know that. And I headed back to the bakery. Even though we still worked some on Sunday’s we didn’t start working as early in the morning. On Sunday’s it was just cleaning and prep work for the next week. My mom would continue her work in the office adding in all the information from Saturday. I decided to not go back up to the house and just stay down in the kitchen I turned on the projection screen to the coverage of the Games and jumped up onto the work table grabbing a cookie left over from yesterday from the pile of food that most of our meals would come from today. I knew I was in trouble if my mom came down and found me but I also knew the chances of that were slim. The only time my mom knew I was even here was when I messed up or she had something to get mad at me about. It had to be about 11:30 when I heard the movement up stairs. Then a door shut. Mother was up and working in her office. About 10 minutes later I heard more movement upstairs and knew it was my dad. He came right downstairs. “Did you go out this morning?” He asked.

“Yea, I did” I told him “What do you want me to do?” I asked and we started cleaning. Rye came down around noon. And by three we had everything cleaned and prepped for Monday morning. Rye headed out to spend some time with Marisa and her family as he often did on Sunday nights. I didn’t know what to do with myself. My Sunday nights after the bakery had been cleaned were usually spent with Peeta. Between school, work and wrestling we didn’t get a lot of brother and sister time together. I had settled in at a spot at the work table and had turned my attention back to the projection of the Games. “You could go visit Alyssa today.” My dad suggested. I hadn’t seen Alyssa in almost a week. Between working and helping the Everdeen’s I hadn’t had a lot of time for anything else. I was about to take him up on the offer when I caught a familiar face out of the corner of my eye on the screen. I gasped and my dad followed my eyes to the screen. Katniss was awake. Looking just as disorientated as Peeta had but she was awake. “I told him.” I whispered at the screen.

“Told who what?” my dad asked. 

“Gale, that Katniss would wake up from the Tracker Jacker venom.” “You saw Gale this morning and didn’t bring me anything back?” He asked and I could hear the teasing smile in his voice but I didn’t feel like returning it. 

“They need it more than we do.” I told him without taking my eyes off the screen. With Katniss now awake the idea of going to Alyssa’s was completely forgotten. I sat in the Kitchen watching as the events of the Games unfolded. Katniss had formed an alliance with the little girl from 11 who was called Rue. Rue helped Katniss with her stings and Katniss shared her burn medicine with her. Rue caught Katniss up on all the events that had been unfolding in the arena over the last two days since the Tracker Jacker attack. Minutes before I switched off the TV Katniss and Rue had come up with a plan to severely limit the careers abilities. With Katniss and the career pack back in action everyone would be watching.


	21. Chapter 21

Monday followed the morning routine that had become so familiar with a little more caution. My mother would be spending all day in the bakery today so I had no room for getting distracted luckily it seemed like Peeta and Katniss were going to behave themselves this morning. I was working in the kitchen my mom being her usual “happy” self outside in the store front. The fake sympathy she mustered up every time someone mentioned Peeta drove me crazy. And when things slowed down the way she would glare at me when she wandered back into the kitchen. I got a few slaps on the back of the head with “get back to work” told to me the couple times she caught me glancing at the screen. 

It was around mid-morning when the cannon sounded. Rye, Dad and I dropped everything we were doing to look at the screen. It was the boy from ten killed by the career pack. When Rye and Dad see it’s not Peeta they go right back to work but I don’t I stare at the screen. They were officially back on the hunt. Once the hovercraft had taken the body away. Caesar mentions that Katniss and Rue are awake “For those of you who missed the broadcast last night, this pair was trying to come up with a strategy to weaken the alliance of the tributes from 1,2 and 3.” Over breakfast Katniss and Rue try to create a plan. I’m quickly brought back to reality by a smack on the back of my head. “Back to work girl.” she said “you’re worse than the no good boy you're replacing” it was getting harder and harder to keep my emotions in check. To survive in the Mellark household you had to numb yourself to anything you might feel any show of emotion could easily earn you a trip to our mothers office and nothing good ever happened when she could get you alone. I went back to work on the cookies I was making I stole a few glances at the games but it was another explosion that made us all stop again. This time it wasn’t a cannon. We looked to the screen. “Well, I guess she figured it out. It will be interesting to see how the tributes from Districts 1 and 2 react to this.” Claudius says. “The mines” I whisper to myself as I start to put together what happened. Someone had somehow managed to blow up the supplies of the career alliance. I knew that girl from 5 had been stealing from them for awhile and at first I thought she had missed a step getting through the minefield the boy from 3 had created but there was no cannon and no comment from Caesar or Claudius. I’m still trying to figure out who or what is behind the explosion when my thoughts get interrupted “Well I think were about to find out.” Caesar says as the two tributes from 2 and the remaining boy from 1 come out of the forest. The look of shock on the tributes faces when they see the ash of what's left of all of their supplies almost makes me giggle. The boys face quickly shifted to rage that made me nervous as the boy from 3 who I guess was supposed to be guarding the pile while the others were out hunting tributes appeared looking just a confused as the others. The boy from 2 went right up to him and without missing a beat snapped the boy’s neck. The cannon fires signaling to everyone that the boy was in fact dead. That’s when the camera angle switches. “Oh I think he’s seen her. Could this be it for the girl on fire?” Cesar says. As I catch a glimpse of Katniss still stunned from the initial impact of the explosion. “Get out of there.” I thought but apparently I had said it aloud enough to catch Rye and Dads attention. She scrambled up and headed farther into the woods of the arena. She was clutching her ear and I knew she was hurt somehow but wasn’t quite exactly sure how. She makes it just to the edge of the woods before she falls again. “Oh wait look what we’ve missed.” Caesar says as the cameras cut to the girl from 11 trapped in a net that she somehow set off. A trap set by the careers no doubt. “I wonder how this will play out for the two girls.” Claudius comments. 

I'm just starting to go from the world of the Games back to my reality of the bakery when I feel the pain on my shoulder. It takes one more hit to my shoulder before I really start to understand what’s happening. “If you gave me as much time as you’ve been giving to that useless boy and that dumb Seam trash we would be so much better off.” There was another strike to my shoulder. It was a rolling pin that’s why it hurt so much more than normal. “I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance.” She hit me with the rolling pin one last time before grabbing me by the shoulder again and pushing me out the door. She shoved some of the stale bread into my hands “Give this to the pigs.” she said opening the back door and watching me walk out.

I hear the door close and finally give myself the chance to catch my breath. One thing I’ve learned in 13 years of dealing with my mother is that sometimes the easiest way to deal with it is to convince yourself it’s not happening. Having already been wrapped up somewhere else made it easier to already take that route this time. The downfall to this strategy was that coming back to reality was never fun or easy. “Hey” the familiar voice said as I jumped. “Alyssa” I said a note of panic I’m sure she could hear in my voice she couldn’t be here not now. “Are you OK, You didn’t come over yesterday?...”

“You need to go.” I told her trying to keep my voice firm and level despite the fact my heart was racing and it was getting harder to breathe. 

“Challah…” she started 

“Go!” I yelled at her glancing back over to the door. “Please just leave.” 

“OK.” Alyssa said with a sigh as she started walking away from the house. I slid down against one of the fence posts around the pen where we kept the pigs. Almost screaming as I slid past the point on my shoulder that had been hit so many times. I tried to get my breathing back to normal and sort through all the thoughts in my head. This was exactly why I hated the “escape to somewhere else” method of dealing with what my mother could dish out. I knew I shouldn’t have been so short with Alyssa she was just concerned and trying to help. I would have to remember to sneak some cookies or something one day this week and try to drop by. But it wasn’t safe for her here either. I leaned my head back against the fence post and looked up towards the stars. I found myself wishing Peeta was here. He somehow always knew what to say when stuff like this happened. Peeta was a genius with words. I sat wondering how much longer I could handle this without him.


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning my shoulder hurt like no other. Moving my arm was painful while I tried to get ready for the day. “This will be fun.” I whispered to myself as I started getting ready to head to the forest. I was just about out the door when I realized it had been about another week since I had seen the Everdeen’s specifically. “Perfect.” I thought to myself. That was the last thing I wanted to do today. “You have great timing.” I said to the stairs as I went back into the kitchen and flipped the switch to turn on the Hunger Games broadcast. I had to wait for my dad to at least give me what he could before taking off today. For the third week in a row I would be heading over to the Everdeen’s with an injury from my mother. I backed up in my thoughts for a minute third week. Had it really been three weeks already. I looked towards the screen it was still early in the arena too and most of the tributes were still asleep. It looked like ,or sounded like, the official commentary broadcast from Caesar and Claudius hadn’t even started for the day yet. At this point the camera was pretty much rotating through sleeping tributes. Giving each tribute or set of tributes in the case of the only remaining alliance that was actually in the same area as each other. The camera settles on Peeta when I see he isn’t actually asleep his eyes are in fact open. I know I shouldn’t but I crawl up onto the counter and settle next to projection screen on the wall. “Old habits die hard.” I say to the image as I brush my hand against the image where Peeta lays on screen. There’s a part of me that just wishes someone would find him and kill him or that his body would take care of it already. I can tell he’s not doing well and if he would die it would make everything a little easier. He would feel better. I could give up on that last little shred of hope I was holding on to. If he died I would know exactly how I was supposed to feel about this thing. The screen flashed away from Peeta and back to the Careers I assumed going back to the beginning of the loop it was on. “Up for a trip to the Seam today?” I jumped off the counter at the sound of the voice. “Sorry.” my dad said not meeting my eyes. “A quick one.” I told him. They still had no idea about my early morning trips out to the woods. I had started going earlier to give myself a little more leeway on the timing if needed and it often looked more like I was just having trouble sleeping then sneaking off at 1 in the morning to go hunting. Although seeing as my mother had done me the favor of messing up my right arm pretty good last night I was pretty sure very little actual shooting would be done today. My dad quickly boxed up what was headed to the Everdeen’s today and I slipped it into my bag along with three or four cookies I planned to give to Alyssa on my way back to apologize for last night. I took extra care to make sure I put my bag over my left shoulder and I could tell my dad noticed the change but he didn’t ask and I was glad. 

 

I followed my usual route not taking the time to check on the games in the square as I wanted home as quickly as possible that day. Stopped in the woods and took everything off the trap lines and dropped it by the Hawthorne’s. Stopped at the Everdeen’s and made up some lie about things being busy and needing to head home right away. Before she could notice anything off and start asking questions. I Stopped by the sweet shop and dropped the cookies off with Alyssa who said she understood and should have known better after all the times I had warned her to stay away from the bakery if she could. It was a pretty uneventful morning. Because of the delay in getting started this morning it was nearly early afternoon by the time I returned to the bakery. I got back and tried to tie my apron on to get started for the day. I was getting frustrated when I realized that I didn’t have the range of motion in my right shoulder to be able to tie my apron. Rye must have been getting ready to head out on some deliveries of his own, and a personal stop at Marissa's I was sure, because he was behind me and tieing the apron in the back for me before untying his own. I tried to give him what I hoped was an appreciative smile. Before heading into the kitchen to really begin working. What started as an uneventful morning did not stay that way. It was well into the middle of the afternoon. A relatively slow time for the bakery. Dad and I were able to take a break to eat lunch and mother sat out in the storefront counting the money from this mornings sales. I didn’t think much of the chimes that rang above the door until my dad got up from the work table and went to the front of the store with my mother I put the plates from our lunch into the sink and went to stand in the doorway. My breath caught when I saw who these visitors were. Peacekeepers. Not the kind you usually saw around 12 though. These were the capitol variety of Peacekeepers. I stood in the doorway trying to go unnoticed but listening to their conversation at the same time. Something about a reporter. That’s when I realized what was happening. The final eight. The death of the boy from 3 after the explosion last night put both Katniss and Peeta in the final eight tributes. Which meant that the capitol would be doing specials on each of the remaining tributes families and friends. It was hard enough talking about the games with the people in 12 now I was going to have to talk about them in front of everyone in the country. I went over to the ovens to check on the cookies and sweets we had put in just before we sat down to lunch as they should have been almost done. I pulled the stuff that was done out of the oven and put it on the work table when I heard it. “Katniss! Katniss help me!” I started looking around trying to place who could be calling for her when my eyes flickered to the projection of the Games on the wall. Rue was still trapped under the net and must have figured out Katniss was close by. As Katniss came flying out of the woods and calling for the little girl. I saw the boy from 1 come out from a different spot in the forest. “No” I almost yelled at the TV and quickly turned around to make sure no one in the front of the store heard me. By the time I turn back to the screen the spear the boy from 1 had is already flying but he’s also on the ground with a arrow through his chest. Katniss can’t stop the spear though and it goes right into the little girl from 11. Katniss is at her side in no time cutting her free from the net that has her trapped. Katniss isn’t one to show a whole lot of emotion but I can see the exact moment it registers on her face that the little girl isn’t going to live. Katniss grabs onto the little girls hand. Katniss and the little girl whisper something to each other that I can’t quite hear. “You have to win” The little girl says and I know she’s purposely saying that louder so everyone can hear it. “I’m going to. Going to win for both of us now.” Katniss says. I’ve never believed it more then in that moment. The cannon sounds and since the little girl is still alive I’m guessing it’s for the boy from 1. “Don’t go.” The little girl asks and I can tell by her voice that she doesn't have much longer. Katniss reassures her that she’s not going anywhere. “Sing” the little girl asks. Katniss looks shocked at first but seems to find her voice as she begins to sing. The meadow song. I learned it in school. It doesn't hold the same meaning to me that Peeta and my lullaby does but it’s a lullaby all the same and it’s the first time I’ve really heard Katniss sing. Peeta is right. Her voice is amazing. If it’s anything like her fathers I understand how that drew her parents together. I jump when I feel the hand on my shoulder. It’s only then that I realize I’m crying. I’ve never cried when a tribute died before. Tributes dying in the games had always just been an accepted part of my life. I figured I would cry if Peeta died. Probably even if Katniss did. But I can’t figure out what has me crying about the little girl’s death. “Why don’t you go upstairs for a bit.” My dad suggests. I look around him towards the front of the store. “I’ll tell her I sent you to start getting ready for the interviews.” He tells me. “How long do I have?” “I’d guess about 2 hours or so. They’re going to get the Everdeen’s interviews first.” I go upstairs but don’t end up in my room. I go straight to Peeta and Rye’s room. I haven’t been in here since the night of the reaping. It’s cleaner than normal. I curl up on Peeta’s bed and fall asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

I wore my reaping dress to the interviews. It was the only dress I had. Rye had come home at some point and was wearing something similar to what he wore to the reaping as well although it wasn’t exactly the same outfit. We both managed to walk out of our rooms at the same time. We offered each other a half hearted smiles and as we walked downstairs I try to keep my mind from replying this same trip with Peeta almost three weeks ago. Three weeks ago when the world made a lot more sense. 

We arrive at the justice building just as the Everdeen’s and Gale are leaving. As we walk past Mrs. Everdeen glances at me and I quickly look away. In the few seconds I made eye contact with her I can tell she knows I was keeping something from her this morning. It doesn't matter though because we are quickly ushered inside and into a room. It’s not at all what I’m expecting. There are these strange robot things on the floor that I’m guessing are the cameras. A projection that looks like our TV at home is showing us a picture of a room I don’t recognize at first until I realize it’s the same one I’ve been seeing Caesar and Claudius broadcasting from during the games. Someone comes through the door and starts arranging us into the picture they want. My mother sits on a couch in the middle of me and Lyonia, Graham’s wife. He stands behind her. My dad stands behind my mother. Rye stands behind me. I realize they’ve tried to make us look like a perfect little family. One that’s so proud that our son and brother is representing the district. But we weren’t a perfect little family. And I wasn’t proud of my brother, I was scared for him. I had already noticed that my mother was sitting closer to Lyonia then me and I wondered if anyone else noticed. I see Caesar appears on the projection screen in front of us. “Ah the Mellark’s” He says in his always cheery voice. “So nice to meet you all. We’re just coming back from some game coverage. I’ll introduce you and then we’ll get started with the interviews.” He told us. “Welcome back” He started as the camera’s went live again. “I have with me tonight our last tribute’s family. Please welcome from District 12 the Mellark Family!” Cesar says. Of course they saved Peeta for last. If he were to die sometime between the final eight being official and our interview they wouldn’t have had a need to air our interviews. I can’t help but think of the two families whose interviews were most likely already aired just before their son and daughter died. “We’re so proud of Peeta for making it so far in the Games.” My mother says all smiles “I always thought he would do well.” I can feel Rye tensing behind me as his hand tightens on my shoulder and it isn’t long before I join him as mother continues to dolt on the son she doesn't actually love. "Challah, your Peeta's little sister right?" Caesar asks. I'm caught off guard by the question I wasn't expecting. 

"Yes" I say into the camera.

"How do you feel about your brother being in the games and his performance so far?" He asks next. It takes me a second to come up with an appropriate answer.

"I just really miss him." I answer I know it doesn't answer all of Caesar's question but it's the most honest answer I can come up with that won't get me in trouble.

"I'm sure you do." Caesar adds in the same tone he used when asking Katniss about Prim during her interview. 

"Do you have any favorite memories of your brother?" This one takes me a minute. I try to come up with something that won't get me in trouble but I can't so I go with one that's likely to get me hit later but shouldn't get anyone else in trouble. "This one time about 2 years ago," I start "Peeta had just started working in the bakery and we weren't spending as much time together. Right as the bakery was closing for the night he came upstairs into the living area up there and brought me outside. We sat out there and watched the sunset. Those are his favorite." I can feel the tears welling in my eyes as I replay the memory in my mind. 

"That's a very nice memory." Caesar said before starting to ask others direct questions. After about half an hour or so Caesar thanked us for our time and wished us and Peeta luck through the rest of the games. The walk home seemed to take forever I was waiting for something from my mother after what I had said during the interviews. But nothing happened.


	24. Chapter 24

The next day isn't very eventful. It's a Wednesday so my mother isn't spending a lot of time in or around the bakery. I manage to shoot a squirrel on my trip to the woods that morning and decide to bring it home for lunch as the trap lines were pretty full with food for the Everdeens and the Hawthornes. Despite the fairly calm day, that night proves to be when the excitement happens. I'm alone in my room asleep when someone comes in and wakes me up. I start to panic at first as usually the only time that happens is when it's Peeta trying to pull me out of a nightmare. Until I realize it’s my dad and I wasn't dreaming. "Come with me. Quickly" he whispered as he helps me out of bed and takes me downstairs. "What's going on?" I ask my brain already preparing to hear that Peeta's dead. "They changed the rules Katniss is going to find Peeta" he tells me after helping me up onto the work table and handing me a cookie as he so often did when I was little and my mother wasn't around. "What do you mean they changed the rules?" I asked just starting to fully wake up. "They just announced it" he starts "district partners can win the games together now." I turn towards the screen. Things still don't look well for Peeta but at least they look a little better.


	25. Chapter 25

Katniss goes to sleep instead of finding Peeta right away. I can’t say I blame her. I end up getting only a few hours of sleep myself that night with my early morning wake up call to head to the woods to check the trap lines. As far as I can tell no one has caught on to these early morning trips. They expect the ones I take on days I go out to the Seam to deliver to the Everdeen’s and the ones where I bring something back they know about. The trip yesterday I’m sure was written off too all the craziness of the day before. I’m heading back to the bakery just as Katniss is starting to look for Peeta. I know from experience she has great tracking skills so I’m sure even with his injury she’ll be able to find him. I get back to the bakery just as I hear my dad coming down the stairs. Once again It will look like I just got an early start to my day. Being a baker’s daughter has made me a morning person out of necessity but my dad’s always said I was a morning person as a baby too and even more, he writes it off to the Games and being worried about Peeta which is actually true. I probably would have been cutting it a little close this morning if I hadn’t been sure he’d probably oversleep after being up so late last night with me. I’ve just managed to switch on the broadcast from the Capitol when he walks into the kitchen. 

“She’s looking for him,” I say casually still looking at the screen. “She’s following the river so she’s sure to run into him eventually,” I tell him although I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince myself or him. Katniss may be an excellent tracker but she doesn't have a lot to go on especially since he hasn’t moved since the Tracker Jacker attack. For the rest of the morning, almost all the focus of the broadcast is on Katniss. The boy from 11 and the girl from 5 don’t have district partners left to look for. The tributes from 2 , the only other team that the new rule benefits, have been together from the start. The new rule on top of being careers probably has them feeling super secure right now. 

We go through most of the morning as normal and Rye walks through the back door about an hour after I’ve made my return. Mother wanders downstairs to make sure all of us are working as we should be before she heads out for the day. I’m working on cutting out some sugar cookies and wishing Peta was here to decorate them and to tease me about the cookie dough I keep sneaking. “Were you at Marissa's house this morning?” I ask him across the worktable where he’s making the frosting for some cupcakes for a party this weekend. Now that the games are winding down parties and gatherings are coming up again on the weekends.

“Yea, why? you think you’re the only one who can sneak around in the mornings?” He says walking past me and grabbing a little piece of cookie dough for himself. I tense as his question and he starts to laugh. “Calm down, I’m not going to say anything. No point in getting us both in trouble.” I’m not listening to him anymore focusing on the projection behind him. Katniss has found a rock where Peeta’s blood is still. “She found him,” I whisper as Rye turns around to see what I’m talking about. “Dad!” I call and rush towards the storefront door. “What?” He asks as we both reached the doorway. “She found him.”


	26. Chapter 26

So she didn't exactly find him. But she's close. "Peeta" she calls out quietly and I'm silently begging him to let her know where he is. I'm not even sure exactly where he is but I know he's around there somewhere. Katniss steps back into the river when I hear the raspy voice "You here to finish me off sweetheart?" There's no doubt in my mind that the voice belongs to Peeta. I can't help the little smile that creeps onto my face it’s the first time I've heard his voice in the week since the tracker jacker attack. Katniss looks confused. “Well don’t step on me.” He says as she finally finds him among the rocks. I giggle. It’s nice knowing he hasn’t lost his sense of humor. Peeta can always find the best things even in the worst situations. Katniss’ reaction is pretty good too when she asks him to close his eyes and disappears into the rocks again. 

“I guess all those hours decorating cakes paid off.” I turned around to face my dad remembering when he made that same comment when Peeta had first hidden. He was smiling. I turned to my brother who was smiling to. Although I didn’t like his smile at that moment. I turned back to the screen when I felt Rye drop the handful of flour onto my head. “Hey!” I said turning around to face him where I found him laughing. “It’s not funny!” I said before grabbing a small handful of flour and blowing it at him. He stopped laughing when the flour hit him. “See?” I said now laughing myself. In a few seconds me and Rye were having an all out flour fight. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun at home. “OK you two. Back to work.” My dad said still smiling after a few minutes of Rye and I throwing flour at each other. Rye and I looked at each other before each scooping up one more handful of flour. “What are you doing?” We both threw our handfuls of flour at him. He was trying to look mad but it wasn’t working and we were both laughing. “OK guys really, you need to get back to work and get this cleaned up before your mother gets home.” My dad said his smile falling. Rye and I stop laughing just like that. It was all he needed to ruin the moment. The mention of mother. Rye and I wandered over to the sink and start washing off the flour that is covering our bodies. “That’s how it used to be,” Rye said. “What?” I asked. “That’s what working in the bakery used to be like. It used to be fun,” he said. “ I still don’t understand,” I said. “Of course you don’t,” He starts to wipe some of the four from the floor. We actually didn’t make that much of a mess. “You were too little to remember. Peeta probably barely remembers.” He says glancing back up at the screen however the cameras aren’t currently focused on Katniss and Peeta. “Mom used to not be this crazy about the bakery. She always hit but it used to be she only did it for things we did wrong upstairs. Then we had a year where the bakery did really bad. I was 8 we still weren’t aloud to “work” in the bakery until we were 14 but we were allowed to spend time in the bakery and help if dad would let us. Then we started losing money. It was probably one of the worst years we’ve had and you know we’ve had our fair share of rough years. Mother went crazy after that. Started claiming that dad couldn’t handle all this anymore. All the sudden we couldn’t be down here anymore. She got worse. Started telling us we were just stupid distractions.” Rye finished his story and got off the floor. I couldn’t count the number of times I had been called a stupid, worthless, good for nothing distraction by our mother. Rye stopped as he walked past me. He ran a hand through my hair. “Go finish those cookies.” I started to go back to the cookies when I looked at the projection again. “Rye look at Peeta.” I said knowing the image on the screen would cheer him up. “Wow, my ever modest and humble little brother naked in front of all Panem. Never thought I’d see that.” he said. “You're never going to let him live that down are you?” I said. “Of course not.” he said with a smile while he snatched another piece of cookie dough from the bowl.


	27. Chapter 27

Katniss had gotten Peeta into a cave to hide out just before Mother arrived home. She made some comment about why Katniss was trying to keep him alive. “He’d just hold her back even with the rule change. He’s not worth it.” I watched as she headed up the stairs to make us dinner. Trying to solve the mystery of why she felt like that once again. “Look, if I don’t make it back-” I hear the familiar voice say from the speakers. It brings my attention back to the games. The bakery is closed so we have the sound on the TV turned up. Katniss echo’s my thoughts when she asks him not to talk like that. I’ve just gotten some hope he might make it out the arena. I don’t need him to start talking about dying now. In true Peeta fashion he doesn't stop. Katniss quiets him with a kiss. He finally got what he wanted I thought to myself as she pulled away from him. “You’re not going to die. I forbid it. All right?” Katniss tells him. Peeta agrees when Rye shuts off the projection. “She told him not die. He won’t.” He told me. “Go on upstairs.” I was settling into bed that night when I heard a knock on my door. I panicked and didn’t respond if she didn’t think I was here maybe she would leave. I didn’t know what she’d come after me for tonight she never even suspected the flour fight from earlier. “It’s dad.” the voice from the other side finally said. I still didn’t respond but he opened the door anyway. I sat down on the bed once he was in the room. “I should have known it was you. She doesn't knock.” I said. I instantly regretted it. We both just sat there for awhile. “I thought I almost had you back earlier today.” I lifted my head to look at him. I had no idea what he was talking about. “I thought I almost saw your Peeta smile when you were messing around with Rye earlier.” he clarified. My Peeta smile. It was from when I was little. Apparently Peeta was the first person whoever got me to smile when I was a baby, and on days when I was really really fussy he would be the only one who could get me to calm down. Peeta always said my dad could usually get me to calm down pretty fast too but my dad never took any of the credit. They said as I got older my smile would get really big whenever Peeta was around. They started calling it my Peeta smile. “Try and get some sleep.” My dad told me as he stood up to leave the room. I didn’t hold myself together long after that. I’m pretty sure I cried myself to sleep that night.


	28. Chapter 28

I go into the woods early the next morning, just like every morning, or at least that’s what I think until I find Gale there. “What are you doing out here?” I ask him. “I want to talk to you” He replies. Something’s bothering him. “Okay what about?” “I don’t think I want you helping out here anymore.” He says. “What are you talking about? I’ve kept up my end of the deal.” I nearly yell at him. “I know and I’ve kept mine but I wan,t ou,t,” he says. He still hasn’t looked at me. “How do you plan on feeding your family and the Everdeens then?” I ask him. Hoping he’ll admit this won’t work without me. I can’t lose this. “I’ll manage.” he says. “So you’re going to work yourself to exhaustion in the mines everyday then try and find time to come out here and hunt. Or just come out here on Sunday’s when you have off. One day a week isn’t going to feed two families Gale not this close to winter.” I tell him. I’ve gotten up and started to leave when I think of something. “Wait a minute...’ I start “Is this about you or me? Are you just mad that you can’t provide for your family on your own anymore? Or are you mad because the person helping you’s last name is Mellark?” He didn’t respond. It was answer enough for me. “The whole district knows the two of you were meant to be together. Even Peeta. That’s why he never said anything to her before those interviews. I can’t tell you if she has feelings for him. She’s never said anything to me. I don’t know if that kiss was real or not for her. But what I can tell you is if she says she wants to be with you. Peeta would gladly give her to you and walk out of her life forever. And I’m not out here trying to replace her. I can’t. I wouldn’t want to.” I get up to leave. I’ll be home a few hours earlier than usual. I don’t have any meat with me today, Gale can handle it if he wants it, but I do stop by the Hawthorne’s and leave the leftovers from the bakery where I usually do. I thought that would be the most exciting part of my day but I was wrong.


End file.
